


Life is Complicated

by swells55



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, happy ended AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-11
Updated: 2019-02-11
Packaged: 2019-10-26 08:56:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 34,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17742902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swells55/pseuds/swells55
Summary: Hi you guys. I, like many, have been obsessed with the Life is Strange series and since it ended in a way that makes me unable to sleep at night, I thought I'd write an alternative ending where a lot of fans might be satisfied. It plays with Pricefield and Amberprice. It is set after Max chooses Bay, and if she had been a little more creative with her timeline choices. Hope you guys enjoy.





	1. What if?

She found herself back in the bathroom, kneeling on the hard tiles as the dazzling blue butterfly fluttered away softly. Soon, the chaos where it all began would commence once more. Max knew she was there to let Chloe die, as much as the thought destroyed her, but she had to think about the countless other people who deserved to live too.

_What if there was a way to do it all?_

As she heard the exchange between Nathan and Chloe again, she couldn't help but impulsively grab the hammer and smash the fire alarm. This time, Nathan noticed the sound of the crushed glass shards before Max even pressed the button. Momentarily distracted, he yelled "WHO'S THERE", as Chloe took the chance to kick him in the balls (again). Yet with a gun still in his hand, he shot Chloe...again.

_FUCK. But isn't this what I was meant to let happen?_

She had an idea. Why didn't she think of it before? It seemed all too simple, and therefore couldn't possible work. Max rubbed her temples in contemplation. Max, almost desensitised by violent drama, having witnessed this scene for a second time, whipped out the photo she meant to submit for the "Everyday Heroes" contest. Last Friday morning, she took a selfie with her portfolio, in attempts to put "the artist with the art". It sucked, so didn't even let Mr. Jefferson see it that following Monday.

_That disgusting prick._

She decided to ignore the blue-haired body on the floor. She decided to block out the sounds of whimpering and dying breaths. Max clenched the photo tightly in anger, concentrating hard on its blurry image.  _This has to work. Please._ Suddenly, the world around her changed. Her head pounding and heart racing, she checked her nose for any blood.  _Nothing._  It was then that she decided: she was going to do it right this time.

* * *

Her vision dissolved and she awoke in her room. The weight of the future still hung heavy on her shoulders, like waking up from a dream that seemed to be reality, and that this realm was the actual fantasy. She checked her phone.

**_October 4th, 07:31am_ **

_Holy Cow. It worked._

School started at 8:30, but she thought that school was  _probably_  less important what she had to do. She decided to get proactive on her plan. First, she would text Chloe to meet her immediately, telling her to meet in the parking lot to get the truth out of the way. Of course, this Chloe was the one she hadn't spoken to in 5 years...but to Max, it didn't matter. She was making up for that now. She would be happy to see a Chloe that was alive and pissed off rather than dead on the bathroom floor again. Plus, the week they had together was filled with wonderful memories that they could recreate. Maybe even better now that she knew what she felt for Chloe was beyond playing pirates and platonic first mates. It always had been something more.

_**To: Chloe** _

_Hey Chloe. It's Max. Meet me at the parking lot at Blackwell ASAP please. It's really important. I don't have time to explain._

Then, she would have to figure out with Chloe how to tip David off and lead him to Jefferson and Nathan's bunker. She figured she would have to have Chloe leave some evidence lying around, or to just leave him the coordinates of the farmhouse...if Max could remember where on the map they had found it all...it would be no problem getting David to jump at a lead in any direction, she knew, since he was a) paranoid as fuck, and b) suspicious of everyone. He also was the one who helped her survive before. That would be the easy part.

What would prove to be challenging was of the utmost importance- to start warning people about evacuating the area before the next Friday.  _Before the storm_. In other words, when the storm would wipe out the whole city. Images of beached whales and debris all over town flashed through her eyes. She grabbed her head at the temple.

_Focus. We're going to save them all._

She thought the lighthouse was one of the safe areas, and she would have to Investigate for more secure locations. Samuel might know more about that. She made a mental note to ask him. She made a list of all the things she had to do in her school agenda, and saw a huge note for the weekend that said "CALL MOM, TAKE PHOTOS, STUDY FOR ENGLISH TEST". On the 4th, it said "VORTEX PARTY". Max realised she could also prevent Kate getting dosed by Nathan tonight.

But that was going to have to wait.

* * *

Her phone buzzed five minutes later.

_**-07:36AM** _

_Chloe: hey dude i dont hear from u for 5 years and suddenly u remember 2 text? :-/ well, i can't say that im not hurt but still good to see that u remembered my number. ur lucky im even awake at this hour...but im curious to see what ur like now. ill be in the parking lot in 15 mins. u better be buying me breakfast. better yet, meet me at two whales. mom would be happy to see you too._

Classic Chloe. Coming to see her with no questions asked. Emojis, snark, and all.

_It's gonna be good this time, Max. It's gonna work out. You're going to save everyone._

She quickly texted Kate, trying to sound casual.

_-_ _07:36AM_

_Me: Hey Kate, are you going to the Vortex party tonight?_

She impatiently awaited a reply, tapping her thumbs on her screen. Finally, the pending message dots appeared.

-0 _7:38AM_

_Kate: Hey Max! I am going! I'm so excited! It'll be my first party, and I'm sort of nervous...I might even drink something_ _ALCOHOLIC :-O_

_Me: Oh that's too bad! As much as that sounds fun, I was hoping we could have a nice movie night in!_

Ugh. Max was trying her very best not to burst into a lengthy text about how Kate would be drugged if she went to the party. Why Kate would want to go in the first place is beyond her. She thought about how depressed Kate looked on Monday.

_-07:39AM_

_Kate: Aw! That does sound nice, but I've been looking forward to this for so long! I've never had the chance to go before, and I finally got invited! Maybe you could_ _come with me!_

_Me: I know Kate, but I just have a bad feeling about tonight's party._

She had to think of a good excuse.

_Me: I've been hearing lots of awful things that have been happening in those parties. The Vortex Club is a bunch of jerks...Stella told me that a few girls were drugged last time they went. I'm just...have a bad feeling, and I got worried for you._

"I'm sorry Kate. I hate having to lie to you" Max said out loud.

_Kate: Omgosh! That does sound awful... I don't know yet...Maybe you're right. I do feel bad already about going since it's a lot of illegal things they're doing. I'm probably shouldn't underage drink or be surrounded by drugs... WWJD, right?_

_Max: Trust me Kate. It's not a place anyone should be._

_Kate: Well, I trust you Max, thanks for looking out for me. I'll let you know what I'm up to tonight! Might catch up on bible study, since I'm soooooo behind. TTYL._

That was too easy, Max thought. Was that all it took? She didn't want to dwell on it; she didn't have time. So, she threw on some generic clothes and headed for the door. She lingered in front of the mirror, checking out her standard outfit.

_Maybe Alternative Reality Chloe was right. Maybe I do need a new wardrobe._


	2. Another Shitty Day

Chloe didn't sleep all night. She woke up 4 times that morning due to a reoccurring dream about Rachel. She was prone to having these weird surreal nightmares that usually featured her dad, but this time, it was just  _her_.

In the nightmare, Chloe would be stuck on an infinite path that no matter how much she ran, she stayed in the same place. At the end of the path, would be Rachel, beckoning her to "Come on!", sticking her hand just out of reach as she sat on a transient moving train. Smiling her smile, and laughing her laugh. A laugh that haunted Chloe's thoughts. At 7AM, she decided to finally get up and see what she had to do that day.

_Another shitty Friday, another shitty day of my shitty life._

She put on some headphones and blasted some Pisshead. Her friend Skip, who used to work for Blackwell as a security guard, gave her his band's debut EP that was playing in her MP3 player. Skip, the lead guitarist and singer, eventually quit to do music full-time, and he wasn't doing too badly either. The job was taken over by her step-douche, who eventually married his mom shortly afterwards. When Skip left on his first local scene tour, Chloe had been lucky enough to tag along for some of it. How she envied him and his ability to get the hell out of here. Why she was still here…was beyond her. Chloe supposed it had something to do with Rachel, and how she had been missing for the past 6 months.

_We promised each other. We would leave together._

She couldn't just go without finding out what the hell had happened. She never believed that Rachel would leave without her, but then again, she was starting to think that she didn't know Rachel at all.

_No, stop. She loved you, Chloe. Something must have gone wrong. She wouldn't do that._

To think of Rachel as her "ex", wasn't the right word. They were never "girlfriends"- the thought made Chloe cringe, and neither of them ever used it to refer to each other. In fact, their behaviour around each other didn't change drastically even when they weren't romantically involved. Or were they ever  _not_  romantically involved? They were always just, perfectly together. Soulmates of sorts. Two drifters in a fucked world full of bullshit. She came into her life as sudden as rainfall. Flung out of space.

_My angel. Without her…I don't know what I would've done._

Chloe hated the word "lesbian". She had always only ever heard of it in such a venomous tone. Rachel didn't seem to want to talk about the whole "gay" thing either. They weren't the type of girls who were particularly found of labels, but it was clear that they were bound to each other. Tied by the strings of destiny to wreck havoc and break shit. No one knew Rachel like she did. While everyone saw a role-model, exemplary student of Blackwell Academy, daughter of the DA who showed academic excellence in almost everything, Chloe knew that deep down inside, she hated everything that she came to represent and loathed even more the lies and insincerity that gave her that very privilege. While Rachel came from a nuclear family that was financially secure, there was so much complicated shit that even Chloe didn't even begin to understand. It was enough to make anyone want to take a bat and hit something. Though Chloe was more working class, with a single mother who struggled to pay the bills every month (her father's death having left them both broken), she never had so much family drama. It was all just...unfair. Still, somehow, Rachel and Chloe hit it off instantly. That was probably what brought them together in the first place: angst, passion, and a desperate desire to get the hell away from everything and everyone.

It was hard to believe that they had only met 3 years ago at that random concert in the Mill. It was their 2nd anniversary shortly after she disappeared. They usually went to the junkyard to celebrate by breaking some bottles and smoking up in their "home away from home". These months without her had been unbelievably hard. She was losing hope all over again. They had an on-again off-again sort of dynamic, and the last few months before she dropped from the face of Earth, she was especially distant. Chloe felt like she was losing another friend. She often remembered how Rachel had once called Chloe "her guardian angel."

 _Did I fail to protect her?_ A promise to a certain notorious figure felt broken, and Chloe never could shake off the guilt that it caused.

- _07:31AM_

_Max: Hey Chloe. It's Max. Meet me at the parking lot at Blackwell ASAP please. It's really important. I don't have time to explain._

"What the f-" she muttered as she tightly grabbed her phone from the night stand. She read it a few times over just to make sure she wasn't reading it wrong.

_Max? Max Caufield is back? What the actual fuck._

How long she had waited for a text from Max. She needed some time to regroup before messaging back. Before she hit send, her growling stomach prompted her to change the text and suggest they meet at Two Whale's Diner. Her mom, Joyce, was probably already there on the morning shift. She put on her navy blue beanie and put on some jeans. Her heart was racing at the thought of seeing Max. She ran to the window.

_Was there something I was meant to do today?_

Chloe checked her phone and saw a message from Nathan.

_-2:45AM_

_Unknown number: Listen bitch. If you tell anyone about what happened, you're going to fucking pay. Whore._

Chloe sneakily snuck out of the window so her step-douche David wouldn't hear it. She knew she would have hell to pay later- she had pissed off David the night before by taking one of his socket wretches without asking, and he was bound to figure it out sooner or later. He was an tyrant about his tools. And mostly everything. A fucking drill sergeant. How she wanted to just jump in a hole and hide from all her problems. She wished she could just shut off, like a computer, but only death and deep drugged out sleep could do that. To top it all off, Max was back in her life. She almost couldn't believe it.


	3. Coffee & Tea

Max sat at the booth of the diner anxiously. She kept checking the clock.

_Okay Max. She's alive. It's only 7:50. She'll show up. Knowing her though, she'll definitely be late._

She smirked to herself. Then Joyce approached.

"My my, Max? Is that you? I haven't seen you in so long! Come give me a hug!"

Joyce put her pot of coffee down and Max stood up to give her a firm embrace. It was so nice to see Joyce. It made her miss her own mother, who she kept neglecting to call during all this time travel craziness.

"How long has it been? 5 years? Chloe will be so happy to hear!"

"I'm meeting her here, actually" she timidly said.

"Of course you are. It'll be so good to see you two together again. She has missed you so. Anyways, what'll you be having? Pancakes? Bacon and eggs? Omelette? Want some coffee?"

"I'll wait until Chloe gets here! But I'd love some tea if you have some."

"Sure thing!" Joyce brought her a mug and poured some tea into it. She leaned into Max's ear.

"You make sure you take some sense in Chloe, Max. She's had such a hard time these past few years. Especially with Rachel having…" Joyce said, with her sentence trailing off into a sad tone, looking at the floor. The door suddenly burst open, introducing a blue-haired beanied up punk girl into the vicinity.

Max got up and ran to Chloe, giving her a massive hug, her head resting Chloe's shoulders and she squeezed tight.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. If you missed me this much, you could've come visit earlier. Hey mom!" Chloe waved to Joyce, and Joyce rolled her eyes as she smiled and walked back behind the counter.

"The usual please! Max is paying." Chloe ordered as she sat down at the booth Max had been sitting in.

"There's no way in hell I'm making Max pay for breakfast. Max, take it as a welcome home gift from me."

"No Joyce, it's fine. I promised Chloe. I'll have some bacon and pancakes please."

"Are you sure?" Her eyes narrowed as she looked at Chloe sceptically. Chloe looked away and mimicked whistling.

"Yes Joyce. I did. I'm sure I'll be over a lot from now on, so don't worry about it." Max politely said, as she went to sit across from Chloe.

"Since when are you coming over a lot from now on?" Chloe begrudgingly looked at her. Max could only smile at her cheek.

"I missed you. I know there's nothing I could say to make up for all the years of not contacting you, but I'm here now. And I have so much I need to tell you. You need to promise to believe me. It has to do with Rachel. It has to do with you. It has to do with everyone in Arcadia Bay. We need to save them all."

Chloe, who had been focusing on the mug of tea on the table, didn't make eye contact at first. Then she heard Rachel's name and started paying attention. She looked shocked that Max knew anything about her, but it wasn't the first time.

"Here's your coffee Chloe."

"Uh, oh yeah. Thanks mom."

Max took a deep breath, and started to explain.


	4. Chapter 4

_**"Holy. Shit."** _

"I know."

"So let me get this straight. I died, you saved me. That creep Jefferson is a psycho. My step-douche is a hero, and a giant storm is going to kill us all if we don't start telling people to get out of here?"

"Pretty much."

Chloe started to rub her temples. This was something beyond anything she ever imagined. It was already startling enough to see her old best-friend pop back into her life with a sudden request to meet, and then this whole rewinding ridiculousness. She didn't want to believe her, but there was a look in Max's eye that said it wasn't a joke, and it wasn't in her imagination. Plus, Max sounded way too coherent to be imagining things. Furthermore, Max proved it by saying all this super secret stuff that she would have no business knowing. David's penchant for surveillance at the house. Jefferson's secret photography torture chamber, her trying to blackmail Nathan. How else could she have known?

"And Rachel? What about Rachel?"

Max faltered. Chloe's fervent gaze made her feel shy.

"I don't know. I don't really know what became of her, but I know that Jefferson and Nathan had something to do with it. The sooner we get David to bust their bunker, the sooner we'll find out. But I need your help to figure how we're going to do that." At the mention the unimaginable, Chloe's eyes darkened. She brooded for a minute, playing with her coffee spoon. Max spoke.

"I know how important she is to you."

The thought of finding Rachel installed a newfound sense of motivation that Chloe hadn't felt since she was determined to fix her wreck of a car.

"Leave that to me. I'll get one of my disposable phones and text him the coordinates and tip him off about it. Something like: Jefferson and Nathan have been abducting girls. Go to these coordinates. Be careful. Bring protection."

"You think that will work?"

"I mean, it's all I can think of. Is there another way to do it?"

"I guess you're right. It's pretty direct. But if they trace that back to you, then what?"

"Then I can take credit for being right. Well,  _you_  being right."

"Chloe, it's time you buried the hatchet with David. He saved my life."

"He did?"

"Yeah, and when you died…when Jefferson killed you…He was absolutely devestated. He really does care about you, Chloe. He's just…kind of a jerk."

Chloe looked long and hard at Max. Then she peered over to her mom.

"I guess my mom isn't so stupid to have married a complete idiot. And if he saved your life…after everything you've done for me…then I can grow up and face the step-douche."

Max laughed.

"What? It wasn't going to be easy? I'm so used to bashing on him. He's just….such a douche!"

After breakfast, Chloe saw that Max kept looking at her phone.

"I can't believe I'm skipping class today."

"Oh shit! You still have school. Haha, I didn't even notice anymore. My days at Blackwell ended a long time ago."

"What happened exactly?"

"About 2 years ago. Too many skipped classes. Bad grades. Lost my scholarship. Mom couldn't afford to pay for full tuition, so…I just dropped out. Started working a few odd jobs here and there. Helped out at the diner or the garage for petty cash. Rachel gave me some money from time to time to make things a bit easier. She paid for most of the car parts in my truck. All in all, I've been wasting away since, just waiting for a chance to get out of here. But every time I think of how sad Mom would be, even though I can't stand David as part of the family, or how afraid I am that I would have nowhere to go and it would all go to shit…"

"I just never had the courage to actually do it. I was close though. There was one night with Rachel. The first few days we met actually…but that's a story for another time. What about you? Glamorous photographer student now, are we?"

"I don't even remember what my life is anymore, since I started having these stupid powers. It seems like a million years since being good at photography was my main focus. All my efforts have been going into saving this town. And you."

Max shot Chloe a look that made her blush. It was so intense, and full of unspoken meaning. What the fuck could have happened in the alternative timelines? She could see that Max's eyes were wet, almost like they were about to cry.

"Thanks Max. I owe you one. Now let's head back to mine and start researching stuff. I have Samuel's number- I bet he could tell us about some weird places we could get people to hide out in while the storm hits."

She weakly smiled as Chloe got up. Then Max put some money on the table and quietly said to Joyce, "The food was better than I remembered Joyce. Keep the change."

Chloe got on her truck and lit up a cigarette. Holy smokes. Was Max being for real? As Max exited the diner, she started talking to a few people and observing a few things. This gave Chloe some time to process.

_Okay, so your best friend saved your life a million times because you're a dumb shit who keeps getting killed in alternate realities, and now you have to help her tell your step-douche about those creeps and save this town that you hate from a huge storm that will kill everyone. And find Rachel. Could she be dead? Now I'd believe anything._

She took another long drag. She found one of her trusty disposable phones and drafted a text to send to David.

_hey david we need to talk. important shit is going down and we ned your help_

Seems legit enough, she thought to herself. Max eventually climbed aboard.

"What do you think of this?" Max almost laughed out loud. She rewrote another draft.

_David. I know you're investigating disappearances. Go to the Farmhouse registered under Aaron Prescott's name and look inside. Jefferson and Nathan have been abducting and murdering girls in underground bunker. Bring protection and back-up. Could be very dangerous._

_"Dude_ , that went from like 0-8 in like a second."

"Well, do you think he'll believe it?"

"Ha, please. That douchebag is so paranoid. He'd look for any lead to prove his point. In any case, I'm sure he'll check it out even if he doesn't believe the text entirely."

"We need to make sure he takes it seriously though, or we could be putting him in danger!"

"Is there any more proof you could give him?"

"Hm…It'll just have to do . We'll figure it out later. Just send it."

"Done. Now what?"

"We gather information on safe places for the storm."

"Should we split up? I could go home and research and you could ask around Blackwell."

"No. I'm not leaving your side."

"Good idea. I seem to do stupid shit when you're not around to save me."

Chloe suddenly felt her hand being clasped by Max's. All a sudden, everything became tense.

"I love you, Chloe."


	5. An Amber Reborn

_**October 5th, 10:45AM** _

_When they found me, Chloe said that I had been locked in an underground bunker for 6 months, kept in an artificially induced coma since Nathan didn't have the guts to actually murder me. Seems like being nice to even the worst people can have it's perks. Due to my vegetative condition, my memory was really fuzzy. All I remember is offering to let Jefferson take a few photos of me…then…various fragments of images. I'm not sure what was a dream or what was real. One thing's for sure; it was all a hellish nightmare. When I looked in the mirror, I was a skeleton, having been fed from a tube for all this time, barely kept alive. When I came to the first time, Chloe had fallen asleep at my bedside in the hospital, refusing to leave until I woke up. She told me everything. About Max. How she knew about Frank. About the storm that was going to wipe out the whole town. I didn't know if I was happy to be alive or to be utterly traumatised. Who knew what those fuckers did? What else they could have done to me...I don't even want to think about it. All I know is, I was glad to see my stubborn saviour at my side._

"Rachel...you have no idea how long I was looking... When everyone gave up, I-"

Rachel took Chloe's face and gave her a deep kiss. It had been too long. Chloe seemed caught by surprise. There had been vague dreams she remembered, and she knew that this beanied rascal had featured in many of them.

"I know. I knew you would. You promised. I wouldn't leave without you."

"I was still postering even yesterday, before Max told me about everything. Everyone wanted to believe you had escaped somewhere else...or worse. Oh god, did we make them pay. Jefferson is in prison and Nathan is in a juvenile detention centre pending trial. His family has lost most of their credibility. They may be rich, but everyone is boycotting their companies. Even Wells had he courage to finally resign and tell the police about the years of blackmail. He's in rehab now, testifying for Nathan's trial. Jefferson apparently had several murders he was responsible for, and all the evidence he kept organised with him. What a fucki-"

Chloe suddenly stopped.

"Rachel." Her voice was worried, so unlike the punk she usually was.

"You're crying."

Rachel herself didn't even notice that her eyes were streaming, and suddenly her head seemed to crack open with pain. She grimaced in agony, but tried her best not to show it. Then flashes of images filled her head. Of her being gagged, of her getting stabbed in the neck with many syringes. Then she was hyperventilating in fetal position, and her heartbeat on the monitored started going fast into the red zone.

"RACHEL! Rachel it's me! You're okay! It's Chloe!"

That voice. That name. The sound of this person calmed her. Where was she again?  _The hospital._  Who was she?  _Rachel Amber._  Recently rescued from the clutches of misogynist assholes that she thought were just innocent artists. Chloe was holding her, speaking to her softly like a child.

"It's okay Rachel. It's okay. I'm here. You're safe."

The nurses rushed to the bedside and Chloe shushed them away.

"She's fine. Just, a little frightened."

As the nurse exited, Max walked in holding a paper bag.

"I got us lunc- She's awake!"

Rachel didn't want her eyes to be swollen from crying. She didn't even know why she was sobbing hysterically. She wanted to see Max, finally, after all this time. The infamous Max Caufield. The former best friend before the current best friend. Or had that changed? She remembered how she had been slightly avoiding Chloe because of... _him._

"Rachel? Hey Rachel. I want you to meet Max."

Rachel straightened up and wiped her eyes with her hospital gown. Then she felt that she couldn't feel her feet. Chloe noticed her panic.

"Don't worry. The doctor said the nerves in your limbs will take a while to wake up with the rest of you." Rachel shot her a loving look.

Max put the paper bag down and reached out her hand sheepishly.

"It's nice to finally meet you Rachel."

Rachel threw her hands around Max and gave her a hug.

"Thank you. So much. You have no idea how grateful I am. For saving me. Kate. Chloe."

Rachel glanced at Chloe before releasing Max. Awkwardly smiling, she scratched her head and looked away from her. They were right. Rachel was incredibly beautiful and emitted a likeable aura. Even in her battered state, she had a sort of warmth about her.

"It was the both of us. If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't have caught those bastards."

Max noticed that Chloe holding Rachel's hand and felt a pang of jealousy. She wanted to shrug it off as a friendly supportive gesture. Chloe didn't say anything after Max professed her love. Well, no. That wasn't true. Chloe had retorted, "Right back atcha, Maximus," which wasn't the reply she had hoped for. Max was wondering if she would have to make Chloe fall in love with her, but she knew that she did! But Rachel Amber...she changed everything. She knew how fond of Rachel Chloe was. She never stopped mentioning how much she missed her. But then again, she probably said the same about Max too...but then 5 years silence does change a relationship.

_Damn it._

Max grit her teeth silently. Rachel was still weak, and Chloe had eyes for only her in that moment. Then, a few more visitors arrived.

"Sir! You can't go in there! Family only!"

"That bullshit! I just saw those two girls enter and I know they're not family!"

"But sir! I insisted yo-"

"I have to see her!"

Frank Bowers burst into the room in a huff. The nurses trailing after him continued to protest, but upon seeing Rachel, his face fell. He was no longer a gruff drug dealer, but a concerned little boy.

"Thank god." He took off his hat and went up to her. Chloe's hand retreated swiftly. Max got out of his way and joined Chloe on the other side of the bed. She went to hold her hand behind her back, and Chloe took it.

"Hi Frank." Rachel said solemnly. They hugged. He didn't seem to want to let go.

"Haha, at least some things never change. Still blazed up in the mornings, I see? You reek of pot."

Embarrassed, Frank was silent. He was drinking up the sight of her. Then, knelt to her side and spoke.

"Rachel. Whoever did this to you is gonna pay. I swear to god, when I get my hands on th-"

"Frank. Hey, calm down." She took his hand and stroked it affectionately. Max could see the visible repulsion and anger in Chloe, who was vehemently watching this interaction next to her. Chloe was crushing her hand.

"Ow." Max quietly reminded Chloe. She looked apologetic and stormed the room- Max trailing after her as she pulled her hand.

"Chloe! Wait!" Rachel called after her. She couldn't leave her bed, or she would've chased her out to the hallway. Frank seemed to read her, and went after Chloe too.

"Price!" Chloe stopped in her tracks. Max halted beside her.

"Come on Price. Don't leave her like that."

"Don't Frank. I know you guys have...history."

Frank looked almost guilty. Max saw that Chloe was livid. She didn't even look at Frank.

Frank hesitated. "Are you coming back?"

"Tell Rachel I went to have a cigarette."

"I'll join you."

Chloe turned around and walked to the exit, Frank behind her.

"I'll stay with Rachel." Max said.

_Oh boy._


	6. A New Love Angle

This fucking fuckturd. He stopped looking for Rachel months ago. Even her parents...Who kept going? Who never lost hope? It was Chloe. Chloe, who spent countless hours going to every corner of Arcadia Bay, pestering store owners for permission to put up missing signs. Chloe, who had a screaming match with Wells to put them on Blackwell campus. Chloe, who even handed them out individually to every student, even though it was something everyone knew, yet dared not dwell on.

If Rachel  _was_  with Frank, why did he still give Chloe such a hard time? Answer: because he's a fucktard. A stupid old high school dropout burnout, preying on underage high school girls. Like he couldn't find other women in this godforsaken place his own age. Frank was 27. 10 years older. What a creep. What the hell did she see in him? He didn't give her or Max an easy time even when they were trying to find the truth. At least, that's what Max had said. Typical. Frank Bowers and that mangy mutt Pompi-douche can suck a bag of dicks. She even said that Frank had been shot in one of the timelines. He should've just died.

No. That wasn't true. No one deserved to die. Not even Frank.

Gahhhhh. Chill. This is just jealousy, Chloe, she told herself. God she needed a cigarette. And this asshole was going to join her. Fuck off.

"Look, Price."

"What do  _you_ want."

"Thank you. You found her. You and that weird girl."

"Max. Her name is Max. And she's going to save your life too."

She lit up her cigarette and glared at him. Frank looked bewildered.

"Look Price. Consider us even. Your debt. You repaid me in more than you can imagine. You found her. I thought I'd never see her again..."

Chloe slammed her fist against the railing in which she was leaning against.

"I know you two were together! Even though she never told me...I just wish she did."

On the plus side, she didn't have to feel like her life was in danger when he was around anymore.

"Look, Chloe. I know now that...I wasn't right for her. But I loved her. I love her."

"You know you're the fucker who supplied those drugs to Nathan and Jefferson!"

The color left Frank's face.

"It was them?" A pause lingered as Frank's face was blank for a moment. He took a long drag.

"Those motherfuckers..."

Of course. Frank Bowers didn't keep up with the news. Every outlet of media preached how a renown photographer and high school teacher hunk and the school's "golden boy" were in cahoots and fucking insane. The look on his face was almost enough for Chloe to stop feeling angry. Almost. He remained silent for a few more minutes, as Chloe finished her cigarette. She crushed the fuming butt on the bottom of her shoe, and headed back towards the entrance. Just before she got through the doorway, he whispered.

"I'll never forgive myself for that..."

At this, Chloe finally felt sorry for him.

"Hey. I need to lay low for a while." He paced back a forth for a few seconds.

"I'm gonna have to skip town for a while. Tell Rachel..." The look on Chloe's face said she wasn't going to do him any favours.

"Tell her I'll write her. And Chloe..."

"What?"

"Consider your debt, paid. Thank you." Chloe looked flabbergasted as he sped off to his RV which was in the nearby parking lot. She heard him mutter "shit shit shit shit" along the way.

_Maybe he wasn't such a bad guy after all._

* * *

Max walked into the hospital room. Rachel looked dejected.

"Well, that didn't go well, did it?"

Max said nothing. She couldn't help but like this girl. The girl whose face had been plastered on every bulletin board, everywhere Chloe could find.

"Hey, can I get you anything. Are you hungry? I have some food from Joyce."

"Ooooooh. Is there Bacon and pancakes in there?" Max smiled.

"Yeah. They're my favourite."

Rachel suddenly looked ravenous and eager. She reached into the bag, and then hesitated. "Are you sure? Because I am about to devour this. I am hella hungry."

Hella. That's where Chloe got that from.

"No worries."

For her delicate state, she attacked the plastic containers without mercy, scarfing it down within minutes. After she was down chewing, she seemed to remember Max, quietly watching, and looked embarrassed.

"Thanks. I really needed that. You're sweet Max. I can see why Chloe loves you so much."

"What?"

"I remember when I met Chloe, she was always talking about you. Even though at the time you guys hadn't talked in over a year."

A stab of guilt caught Max's throat.

"Thanks for being there for her."

"She saved me too. It seemed our paths were to cross inevitably. She was the only person in Blackwell who I thought was just...real. She kept me grounded. Never took any shit from anyone. I love her for that."

"Me too."

Max felt a sort of tension arise from the conversation. It would seem that Rachel knew more about this Chloe. The Chloe from the last few years. She was the one with her in the Junkyard, who saw her first dye her hair blue, get kicked out of school, the works. To be honest, all Max and Chloe had to go on were heir childhood memories. Was that enough? Before, she didn't have a doubt that Chloe loved her the same way. But now...and Rachel Amber...Max looked away from her gaze.

"Max, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"How did you find out about Frank and I?"

"We...uuuh...Frank mentioned it in one of the rewinds. And I found the notes in his RV. He really cares about you."

Rachel understood. She asked another question.

"Are you and Chloe..."

She didn't have to say it for Max to know what she was talking about. Rachel looked tranquil. Not jealous. Not upset. She was asking politely, taking Max's pause as a kind of answer in itself.

"Well...I'm not...it's not like we're together or anything." Flashback to all the moments when they promised each other they would never leave each other. Those were real, and in this timeline. Not even Rachel Amber could take that away from her.

"I see." Rachel looked pensively down at her hands, which were lazily resting on her lap.

Suddenly, Max's phone started to ring. It was Warren.

"Hold on, I have to take this." She left the room as Rachel mouthed "see ya later".

"Hi Warren."

"MAX! Were you there when Jefferson got arrested yesterday? I heard from Victoria and her cronies that the police burst into his classroom and cuffed him. Then I read the news this morning... holy crap Max...you only responded to a few of my texts yesterday, so I thought I'd call."

"Yeah...I've been pretty busy. Thankfully it's the weekend. I'm actually at the hospital."

"To see Rachel Amber? I saw the news said they found her and she's actually alive!"

"Yeah. She certainly is."

"Holy mother of Mary...she's ali-"

"Warren! Don't tell anyone yet! We are trying to keep things quiet. We're just here until her parents get here. The nurses just called them to say she's awake. Her mom and dad stayed here until they had to go to work this morning. You should've seen the look on their faces..."

"You got it Max. Holy shit. Well, can we meet up later? There's something I wanna tell you."

"Why can't you just tell me now? Its been a loooong day."

"No can do Maximus Prime. It's gotta be in person."

_God, I hope he's not going to confess or something._

Max had known for a while that Warren had a huge crush on him. And while she had entertained the idea of them dating, she had never quite felt an immediate attraction. He went through so many hurdles to spend time with her, and though she was always grateful, she had never felt the same inclination. To be fair, she didn't know anything about love. Was it supposed to be like those rom com movies where it was love at first sight? Or was it a slow burn where you grow to love each other.

Chloe. She gave Max a quick hug from the back, and pointed to Rachel's room as she passed.

"Is it Warren?" she said under her breath. Max batted her away. She winked and walked into the room.

When she thought of love, she didn't imagine sex or anything. She thought of hand-holding in the forest and watching movies and cuddling. All things she wanted to do with none other than Chloe Price.

"Uuuh, Max. Are you still there?"

"Yeah, Hi. Look Warren I'll text you later."

"Okey-doke. I'm here if you wanna talk. But I'm sure you've got Chloe."

"Warren..."

"Hey, I know you two were, er, are best friends. Just let me know." His tone was cheery. When he hung up, Max said as an afterthought...

"If only you knew."

* * *

"Chloe, before you say anything..."

"It doesn't matter Rachel. What matters if that you're here. You're not dead. And that's good enough for me."

She paused.

"Just...Why didn't you tell me?"

Rachel looked dumbstruck.

"I didn't know how...I know you guys have a weird love-hate dynamic. He's a good guy. And it didn't change anything between us. At the time, I was afraid to say anything. But, you're a best friend, Chloe. I will always love you."

"How do you love me?"

Before Rachel could answer Max walked back into the room.

"I think Warren is about to tell me he has feelings for me." Then she read the tension in the room.

"...should I go?"

Chloe shrugged it off. "No. It's nothing."

"So..."

Her voice immediately went into a playful tone.

"What did lover-boy say?"

Rachel interjected, "Warren Graham? The science guy? Aw, is he sweet on you?"

Max's whole face turned bright pink and she tried to change the topic.

"Why don't we take a photo! You guys must want to remember this moment? Reunited at last! Haha?"

"You're right Max. A photo sounds perfect." Rachel got into position as Chloe reluctantly posed.

Max took out her Polaroid.

"Say, "I will survive!"

The moment the flash ignited, Rachel screamed.


	7. Love Conundrums and Trauma

efore she even noticed that her own shrill voice was filling the tranquil hospital room around her, she took a second to note what everyone was staring at. Then Rachel heard the undeniable scream that was bursting from her lungs. She pulsed like a seething siren. Then the hospital room vanished. Chloe was gone. Max was gone. She was in a dark, damp cave. No, not a cave. It was too high tech and clean. It was an office. Precisely and clinically clean. Her eyes were barely open, but she saw Jefferson, in his usual blazer, holding a camera and coming towards her. Then everything went black. She felt her body being retrained from rocking back and forth.

"RACHEL."

Chloe was restraining her from behind, trying to cover her mouth to stifle the high pitched hubbub she was producing. She was stationed in some sort of secure embrace, sturdy as a rock. Rachel was back in the hospital room. Max was there, looking terrified at what her camera had done. The nurse was there. And Chloe.

"The poor thing...I'll get the doctor." Max keep apologising for the flash, but Rachel kept telling her it wasn't her fault.

_What is the matter with me?_

The lovely nurse in blue scrubs left the room promptly after giving Rachel another check up. Despite this, Chloe was still latched into Rachel, as if she was afraid Rachel would go off at any moment like an volatile alarm clack. The doctor rushed into the room, equipped with a face mask and some fresh plastic gloves to assess the situation. She checked her pupils as Rachel sat paralysed on the gurney.

"Where is the family?" She asked, looking back at the nurse who accompanied her in.

"On the way. There's some traffic around this time I think." The doctor pulled off her face mask and tried to look friendly- it was clear that she had been on-call for a while, and it took enormous effort for her to be amicable. Still, her professionalism made it so her voice was calm but stern.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Yang. I admitted you into the hospital this morning. Miss Amber, is it?" Rachel was looking at her with a vacant expression etched on her face. Then, she snapped back into reality.

"…yes. Yeah, just call me Rachel." Dr. Yang looked worried. She checked the chart that was stored inside the compartment next to the entrance.

"The nurses tell me you've been having some…physical bursts. Have you been experiencing uncontrollable fits?" Rachel nodded.

"I see. You may be having symptoms of post-traumatic stress. That is completely understandable, given the ordeal you've gone through and all.." Dr. Yang gave her a sympathetic look. Rachel didn't know if she should've felt assured or annoyed. The nurses were tinkering away with IV machines and taking away the rubbish around the gurney.

"I just wanted to debrief you. The medically induced coma you were in could have been lethal. You might not have woken up if it had been any longer. Thankfully, you didn't suffer too much brain damage, but I imagine it will take a little bit of time before you gain full usage of your legs and arms. I would recommend you go to therapy a few times a week. For the mind  _and_  the body."

"I can feel my toes again."

"That's very good news. You should try walking in a bit. Your friends should come in handy soon." She shot her a cheeky wink.

"In short, Rachel, you're extremely lucky that you can even talk normally. I'm glad to see that you're safe. I remember your friend here trying to stick posters all over this ward these past few months." Chloe smiled.

"I'll let your parents know when they get here about your condition. Although, since you're a legal adult, the responsibility and decisions of treatment and whatnot, are entirely up to you. I've seen my fair share of …  _concerned_  parents of Blackwell students." She shot a side glance to the nurses, who smirked as they walked out of the room. One of returned with crutches.

"These are forearm crutches. I want to see if you can handle them with your limited upper body strength. If not, we can switch to another kind."

Chloe helped Rachel get out of the bed. Rachel felt her toes, but found herself unable to move her legs without extreme effort. Max seemed to be on her phone, texting. Though Chloe had started to move Rachel's legs to the floor, Rachel waved her away. She was going to do this on her own.

Looking at Rachel try to use crutches made Chloe realise how small she had become. Well, she had always been the shorter of the two, but she had shrunk. She lost a lot weight, barely able to stand on her own two feet. So utterly unlike the Rachel Amber that defiantly stood on stage as Prospera during that rendition of "The Tempest" all those years ago. It was disheartening to see her Rachel,  _her angel_ , struggle to move around the room like a new born fledgling. In a way, she thought, Rachel was reborn. Though Chloe would never want to admit it, she spent many days preparing herself for the worst, especially on the days she missed her the most.

She looked at Max, who was half watching and simultaneously tapping away at her phone. A feeling of confusion occurred as she recalled something. Was Max in love with her? And Max just met Rachel, who Chloe had been undeniably in love with for as long as she had known her. Although it took her a little bit to understand that it was  _love_  love. Not just  _love_.

After having come to terms with that part of her sexuality, she always reflected on her clingy behaviour towards friends. More specifically,  _female_  friends. Even in kindergarten back in Bend, she recalled being particularly attached to one other girl, Cara, and basically monopolised her presence in the playground. When she moved, she met Max, and they were as thick as thieves almost immediately. Chloe had spent many weeks in helpless and depressive rage over when she left. At one point, she had even convinced herself that she lost the will to live after Max seemed to ignore her every attempt to contact her. They were meant to be "friends forever", and watching her leave and move to Seattle was probably the first experience with heartbreak that she encountered…if she didn't count her father dying.

_God, when did it all get so complicated?_

Now, Max was back, in love with her, and Chloe wasn't so sure how she felt. On one hand, she knew that she probably was in love with Max all those years ago, and her recent return had not only saved her life, but Rachel's and the lives of countless others. And they were going to save Arcadia Bay together. Max's voice rang in her head.

 _I love you. I love you. I love you._  So sincere. So sweet. So why? Why didn't Chloe want to say it back?

_Why does she love me? I'm so incompetent, getting myself killed every 5 minutes. I can barely earn enough money to pay for my share of the bills._

Who did Chloe love? Now, that was the question to answer. She wasn't sure of anything anymore. She loved Rachel, that was certain. But given recent discoveries about love affairs with their mutual drug dealer…Chloe couldn't un-see the two of them, having dates in his RV, scribbling notes of affection in the same lovely script she used to write to Chloe with, probably recycling a lot of sweet nothings. How she loved those sweet nothings.

"Hello? Chloe?"

Max was waving her hand in front of her face. Clearly, Chloe failed to pay attention to anything during her internal monologuing of love conundrums.

"Whu-what?"

"Chloe, I'm going to go. I need to go see Warren about something and…" She looked at Rachel.

"I thought you guys could use some alone time together. There's a lot more stuff you should catch her up on."

"No! No, we-"

"Max, you don't have to go!" Rachel chimed in.

"Yeah, don't go. Or, I'll go with you! Rachel's parents should be here any minute."

"I don't think you want to be with me when I go meet Warren…Especially if it's about what I  _think_  it's about."

"I wouldn't want to miss that, now would I?" Chloe grinned at the prospects of seeing Warren's grand confession, only to be shot down and unrequited.

_Max is mine._

The impulsive thought surprised Chloe. She didn't think that…did she?

"Chloe…stay…please?" Rachel pouted weakly at her. She knew that Chloe was highly susceptible to her puppy-dog eyes.

"Okay Max, but call me as soon as it happens and you tell me everything! We can grab lunch together later somewhere. Just text me and I'll come pick you up. Or should I take you to meet him?"

"He'll be here any minute. I should probably go to the entrance. See ya later." As she left, she gave Chloe an affectionate hand graze and waved good-bye to Rachel. A few seconds after she left, she ducked back in briefly.

"Rachel."

"I think you're parents are here."


	8. Pappa Can You Hear Me?

"Chloe, you know what they're like."

Of course. Chloe always was Rachel's buffer between her parents. Her father  _loathed_  Chloe, quick to blame her for any mishaps that Rachel found herself in. He pretended that Rachel didn't basically live with Chloe, and he often referred to Chloe in third person even if she was there, never mentioning her name.  _"Oh, so you're going to her house again? Jesus, Rachel.."_  He would have denied that Rachel was capable for being anything short of the "Amber Standards" he set for her. Little did he know, Rachel came up with their most devious and intricate plans; she had the money and influence that Chloe didn't. Chloe stood on the side of the bed away from the door, holding Rachel's hand underneath the blankets, preparing for what, she didn't know. But seeing Mr. Amber was never a pleasant interaction. Mrs. Amber, on the other hand, tried her best to be civil, but her overbearing husband hardly have her any opportunity to speak up. She mostly supported Rachel, largely due to her inability to do anything to influence her behaviour, and was perfectly friendly to Chloe. However, she never did question their relationship, and applied a "ignorance is bliss" mentality towards their shenanigans. During Rachel's disappearance, they acted like Rachel was on some kind of vacation- as if living in complete denial about their daughter would help bring her home.

When they came into the room, they both were overcome with joy. While the Ambers ran to her side to embrace, hug, kiss, etc., her mother started crying. Her father noticed Chloe a few moments after.

"You…" Chloe was prepared for the usual torrent of passive aggressive insults, but instead, he held his hand out to her.

"You found her. Thank you, Chloe Price. The Ambers are forever in your debt. If there's anything I can help you with, let me know."

Taken aback, Chloe took a moment to reply.

"Uh- it wasn't just me. It was Max too. And we're just glad that Rachel is safe."

Her mother threw her hands around Chloe in hysterical sobbing gratitude. All Rachel could do was smile, amused at her father's change of character towards the blue haired punk she called her best friend.

"I know that you never stopped searching. Neither did I. But, to be honest, even I…" He looked to the floor. "Even I was losing hope. But none of that matters now." He looked to Rachel. No matter what had happened in the past, everything was different now.

"Rachel. With you having been gone for so long, your mother and I…we did a lot of thinking. We realised a lot of things, what we would've done different. What we wanted for you. What's the most important is that you're happy. And that you don't resent us, or want us out of your life. The last conversation we had was about your future, and I yelled at you for wanting to study Drama in university, and I was being a jerk, saying it was-" The desperation in his eyes was palpable. It was clear he had been ruminating these words for a while.

"Dad. It's fine. It's water under the bridge. Drama school will have to wait anyways. I can barely walk." Though sullen and pale, Rachel was beaming. She'd never seen that side of her dad. He was speaking honestly, saying exactly what he meant, no bullshit. No pretending to be anyone other than a concerned father. Her darling dad.

"Dr. Yang told us about everything. You're going to need someone to take care of you." Her mother had composed herself finally, and evidently was giving herself the role of full-time caretaker of Rachel 2.0.

"That is, if you want to live back at home with us." Her parents looked shy for a second, as if unsure their daughter would want to come back home.

"I love you Mom. I love you too Dad." The Ambers had a kodak moment, and Chloe felt superbly awkward standing besides it all.

"On one condition. Chloe is allowed to stay over anytime, and I can sleepover at her's anytime. And no curfew."

Her father's face darkened. "Rachel, I know that you're an adult and want your own space, but you can't blame us for being extra sensitive about your security and safety."

"James." Her mother's voice had never sounded so commanding.

"Honey. We'll see how it goes, but..yes. We agree to those conditions so long as they don't get in the way of your recovery."

"Thanks."

Chloe felt her phone buzz in her pocket. It must be Max. That reminded her.

"Rachel, you don't have a phone right?"

"No. I lost it…it must've been a long time ago."

"Well, here." Chloe pulled out one of those Nokia brick phones that were notoriously indestructible.

"It's my old one before I got one of those smart ones. It should do until you get another one. I already added my number and Max's. I also put in your parent's numbers." A puzzled look from Rachel met her eyes.

"My mom had them in case of emergency…and it has no flashes!" She added as an afterthought.

Rachel smiled weakly. "Thanks C."

"Well, I have to go back to work. We have a very important case at the DA, and I was lucky to even get out. Of course, I would have stopped at nothing to come see you." James Amber looked at his daughter with unmistakable joy.

"Welcome home, honey. I'll see you at home." He rushed outside after readjusting his blazer.

"I asked for the day off. Just…let me look at you, Rachel." Her mother seemed on the verge of tears again, and Chloe took the opportunity to leave.

"I'm gonna go find Max." She put her hand on Rachel's shoulder.

"You should stay here with you mom." She bent over to whisper something in her ear. "Good to have you back Rach." Waves of adoration filled Rachel as she saw Chloe leave.

"Come back to pick me up, please!" She looked at her mom.

"Mom, I'll be back for dinner at 8. Chloe will drop me off, won't you?"

"Haha, yeah yeah…" She walked out and saw Mr. Amber sat on some chairs down the corridor, head buried in his hands. He was trying his best to silently cry. He saw Chloe staring. He wiped his face with the back of his hand, and walked over to her.

"Oh, I didn't mean to inter-"

Mr. Amber was hugging her. A strong, all encompassing bear hug that she had only ever received from 2 people. Justin, when he was high off his ass and Chloe had prevented his stash from found by Principal Wells a few years ago. And her father. It was a "manly" hug, which didn't exactly to cradle gently. It was forceful. Protective. Fatherly.

"Thank you Chloe."

All she could muster to say while being crushed in his embrace was,

_"Don't mention it."_

* * *

Warren picked up Max, excited to tell her about his new car. This, however, was old news, having experienced his excitement several times over now. He escorted her into the newly painted second-hand mini-van he inherited from his brother who had just gone to college.

"Warren. What is this about? What did you want to talk about?"

He kept his eye on the road, but looked apprehensive.

"I thought it wouldn't hurt to let you know that…" He was stalling.

"That?"

"Um…Well, I figured that I just wanted to get something off my chest since it's obvious th-"

"That what?! Warren!"

"I like you Max. I really like you." He half winced, as if embracing for impact. Max could only pity him.

"And I know that you probably don't feel the same way, but I just wanted to get it out there…since maybe it would help me get over it."

"Oh."  _What if he knew?_

"Sorry Warren. I just, I never saw you as anything more than a friend."

"I know. It's obvious." Max raised her eyebrows.

"Obvious?" At this, Warren corrected himself.

"Just, you know. You don't look at me…the way I look at you."

 _"Why can't you want me like the other boys do? They stare at me like I stare at you."_ Max couldn't help but recall the lyrics of Flight Facilities' "Crave You". It was stuck in her head after Chloe showed it to her in the car ride to the hospital.

How ironic, she thought.

An awkward pause later, Max was grateful that Warren was driving. It meant she didn't have to make eye contact with him. She thought this was probably why he chose to tell her on the car.

"I hope we can still be friends."

"Obviously. I like you as a person. So long as you're willing to watch some of my lame home-made videos from time to time."

"What are you talking about? Your videos are awesome." She playfully shoved him. He finally smiled.

"Well, where do you wanna go? I'm free all morning."

"I'm meeting Chloe later for lunch."

"Cool. What you guys chowing down on?"

"No clue. Might go home and make something. Or eat at the hospital. I don't know if Chloe will want to leave Rachel's side." She felt another pang of jealousy.

Before she realised what she was doing, she blurted out, "Do you wanna come?"

Damn it.

Max was accustomed to being polite. Especially with Warren, but it probably wasn't the time to give open invites to ward visits in the ICU.

"No worries. I think I'm meeting Brooke later. I was gonna use her drones to film a new scene in this sci-fi short I'm working on. I'm going to try to use the long shot from bird's eye view to interlace a cut scene with a UFO, but I'm…"

Max always kinda zoned out when Warren went on one of his film technique lectures.

"Could we go to a supermarket and get some snacks? I think that Rachel and Chloe could use the extra energy."

"Sure."

_I wonder if Chloe wants peanut M &Ms or gummy bears._


	9. Bear Hugs

"Holy fuck. Did that … actually just happen?" Chloe could feel the smell of his aftershave cling onto her hoodie. She instinctively pulled out her phone to text Max, but then realised that she was able to text Rachel again. A feeling of warmth rushed over her.

"She's back. She's back. She's back. She's here. Shit." She thought aloud, stupidly smiling at nothing in particular.

* * *

_To: Max_

_yo caulfield how's lover boy?_

* * *

Yesterday after lunch, in preparation of executing Max's plan, they had spent the whole afternoon in Chloe's room listening to her favourite songs. It was like she never left. Chloe knew long ago that should Max ever return to Arcadia Bay, she would take her back in a heartbeat. Even though Max's departure had been one of the many causes of a long term fear of abandonment, having her back made Chloe realise that she had never felt so safe around anyone else.

Well,  _besides_  her dad.

When Max told her all about the details of the alternate timelines- where her friend Kate jumped off roof of the school, Frank gets shot, and a whole load of other bullshit that was unimaginable- it was enough drama to make up for not being around for the last 5 years. Apparently, Chloe had dared Max to kiss her on one occasion. The thought of kissing Max was fantastical and absurd all at once.

Well that  _does_ sound like me, she thought. Chloe loved a good dare. Especially when kissing pretty girls were involved. But it brought her back to the mind splitting scenario of Rachel and Max. Rachel or Max? Max or Rachel? Fuck fuck fuck. Did she have to choose someone? Why did she have to make this decision? Comparing them was out of the question.

Rachel set a fire in her heart and soul…but Max...  
Max tended to that fire. Protected it.

_What the fuck am I doing?_

She put it aside in her mind.

* * *

T _o: Rachel_

_hey girl ur not gonna believe what just happened.. UR DAD JUST HUGGED THE SHIT OUT OF ME xx_

* * *

She texted back almost at once.

* * *

_Rachel: LOL are you for real? Jesus Christ._

_Rachel: Hey are you still in the hospital? Come back pls. I love my mom but you being here would everything a hella lot better ^_^_

* * *

Chloe hastily walked back into the room. Rachel still had the phone in her hand as she looked up to see Chloe walk in. Rose Amber was sitting in the chair next to Rachel, looking over a few official looking documents. Chloe's entrance broke her concentration.

"Hi there Chloe. How are you doing?"

"I'm good Mrs. Amber." Chloe noted that Rose was always civil and polite with her, never letting James disrespect her. At least, not to her face. But from what she heard from Rachel, she knew that Rose had a uncanny ability to stifle intense emotions from any situation, which meant that she would either pretend that everything was mildly fine or she would completely ignore it. Rachel was the completely opposite, and it made some sense- Rose wasn't Rachel's biological mother anyways.

"And you?"

"Oh, you know. Just business. I am just bursting with joy that Rachel is here. And you're the one I have to thank. As well as that friend of yours. Even your step-father!" Rose knew of Chloe's burning hatred for David. Or should she say, former burning hatred?

Rachel threw Chloe a knowing look, and continued to text. Chloe felt her phone buzz in her back pocket.

"I guess it means David isn't that bad of a step-dou-I mean- step-father." Rachel's hid a quiet laugh with a look that said "Nice save."

While Chloe tended to some life-update questions that Rose had to offer, Rachel put her phone away to listen. She realised that there was this huge gap in her memory that she wanted to fill with memories that weren't hers. Starting with what Chloe had been up to. She imagined Chloe in the junkyard, without her, believing that she had left without her…As if! Why would anyone plot an escape plan with someone else only to leave early without a word? Plus, Chloe was the one who fixed the car.

She started to think about this "trauma" that she had, and she felt empty. As happy as she was to be alive, there was a sort of melancholic space within her. A void left by physical and emotional duress. She thought she should feel a barrage of complicated and conflicting mentalities, but all she wanted to do was stare into space. And maybe eat some frozen yoghurt.

Chloe eventually used all the energy in her "small-talk" powers, and checked her messages.

* * *

_Rachel: Pls offer to take me for a stroll around the hospital? The nurses brought in a wheelchair we can roll around in._

* * *

"Hey Mrs. Amber, I-" She looked at Rachel and the expression on her face, urging her to keep talking.

"I was thinking if I could take Rachel for a small stroll around the hospital? Get some fresh air?"

"That sounds like a good idea. You definitely could use some, right honey?" Rachel smiled innocently back.

" I'll just be here then. I can take some time to make some business calls."

"...I might just take Rachel to grab some lunch too."

"Oh, in that case. I'll come with you guys!"

"No!" Rachel raised her voice.

"I mean, I don't want to keep you from your work. I know how much your work means to you." Rose suddenly looked very tired.

"Well, it would be good to just catch up on some paperwork. And…" She looked at Rachel and Chloe with understanding. She got her purse and gave Rachel a $20 bill.

"Treat this hero to a meal. Be back before 4. Your father will be coming back around then."

This time, it was who Chloe dragged Rachel by the hand and helped her into the wheelchair, having to princess carry her into it. Then, they were off.

"What's our destination, Captain Price?"

"The hospital food court!"

"Wait, what?"

"Well, we can't  _leave_  the hospital, can we?" Rachel put the brakes on the wheelchair. Chloe halted abruptly.

"Hold on. Who are you and what have you done with the real Chloe Price?"

Chloe looked bashful. "Well, you're all…temporarily disabled and stuff. I wanted to be careful…"

"If this has taught me anything, Chloe Price, it is to live life to the fullest. And to not trust any assholes who dose you."

Chloe tried to laugh. "I hear that."

"So are you taking me into town or what? And please tell me that you have a set of spare clothes in your trusty old truck?"

Rachel knew that Chloe always kept a set of clean clothes in case she had to change last minute when David would grill her about smoking pot.

"Your wish is my command."


	10. Fire & Ice

Warren took Max to Arcadia Safeway. When they parked the car, Warren blurted out:

"So I have a million questions about Rachel Amber but I understand if it's none of my business…BUT, you can't blame a guy for being curious.."

Max hesitated. She didn't know if it was her story to tell, and she was pretty sure the newspapers would pick up on it soon and start to follow Rachel all over town. Arcadia Bay was a small place filled with people who had nothing better to do in their lives to gossip.

"I think that if you guys ever become friends, you can ask her. I'm not sure if I should be the one to tell you. I think she's had enough attention from the public eye."

"Fair enough." He clearly still had something he wanted to ask.

"Let's head into the store." Max opened the car door, relieved to get out of Warren's car unscathed. She didn't think he would take it so well, but then again, Warren was a really nice guy.

"Cool, I need to stock up on chips and dip for the next science club meeting too."

* * *

Chloe felt guilty for taking Rachel out of the hospital so soon. The nurses who saw them pass in the corridor looked almost suspicious that they were gonna split. They nearly ran into Dr. Yang, but she was paged in the hallway and started running the other way.

Rachel was already sitting next to her in the truck, using her teeth to bite off the hospital band on her wrist. Her hospital gown made it so that Rachel was very naked without it. Chloe passed her some grey sweat pants and a black t-shirt and hoodie without looking at her. Rachel raised her eyebrow.

"Relax C. It's nothing you haven't seen before." Then she winked, and looked at the t-shirt.

"Hey! It's the Firewalk shirt." The shirt that Chloe stole from the concert where they officially met. And Rachel saved Chloe from a serious beat down.

"I can't believe you still have it. I lost mine ages ago."

"Yeah. I found it a few months ago in the back of my closet. It…"

Chloe looked out the window.

"…reminded me of you. I guess."

Rachel quickly put the shirt on. It was a bit large on her, but made her look more herself again.

"I feel like I should be a street dancer." Rachel started waving her mock rap hands. Chloe broke unto a grin as she started the car. Then she felt Rachel's hand in hers. Rachel gazed deeply into Chloe, as if she could read her thoughts. Then Rachel started to comment on the new graffiti inside the truck. There were a few more angsty quotes than usual, and the Singing Man was faithfully bobbing his head as usual. She noticed on the steering wheel, Chloe had wrote:

" _ **From what I've tasted of fire, I hold with those who favour fire**_ ", fully accompanied with cartoon flames. Her hands lingered on the black words that were branded there with Chloe's favourite weapon, touching Chloe's hands.

"I love this poem."

Chloe started to drive.

"Yeah. I know."

* * *

Warren and Max were stuck at the sugary snacks section, since Max was torn on what to get.

_Healthy? Unhealthy? Healthy would be better since…healthy is always better, but the best stuff is junk. I know Chloe likes Cool Ranch Doritos and Hershey's Cookies & Cream Bar…Maybe I'll just grab some of everything._

She picked a careful selection of candy bars and headed to the organic section to get apple and banana chips.

"So Max, since I've come clean and all…I was always super curious to ask you…but since I had a crush on you it was weird to ask…but I might as well..I mean we're friends right? So, that means it's not weird if I did ask.."

"Spit it out, Warren." He put on a "cool dude" voice.

"So, how's your love life these days?"

"Dude. I have no idea."

"Oh, come on! It's obvious?"

"What's obvious?"

"I mean…you and Chloe…"

Shit. Was it that obvious? Max immediately turned bright red.

"Oh shit. I knew it!" She hit his shoulder lightly.

"You're not allowed to say anything to anyone! Okay?"

"Only if you promise not to say anything about my pathetic love confession." Max held out her pinky.

"I pinky promise."

"You're such a dork, Max. But anyways…I never knew you were into girls."

"I don't really know much about romance. I think Chloe is the first person that I've felt this way for. I've had crushes before, but I was over it pretty quickly. And the strangest thing is I don't think I've ever wanted to have sex with anyone. Gender regardless. Even now, I'm just content to be at Chloe's side."

_And kiss her until the end of time._

"I think I read up on that somewhere. Yeah. Alyssa was telling me about asexuality once. There was a YouTube video she watched and it was going through all the kinds."

"I wouldn't say I'm asexual. I just don't see what the big deal is." Genitals _are_  kinda weird.

"There's like a few variations. There's aromantic asexuals and demisexuals. I should send you a link later."

"What's a demisexual?"

"Demisexuality is when someone must feel strong emotional attachment to their partner if they want to feel any sexual attraction."

"Isn't that normal?"

"I think the way the girl in the video said it was like, a complete lack of sexual desire until you get to know someone."

"Yeah, isn't that normal?"

"Not exactly…I think most people just like to fuck people they find hot."

Max laughed. It sounded so normal, but she simply didn't relate to that feeling. Maybe she was a demisexual? She also found it pretty hilarious that they were having a life-defining moment in a supermarket, next to all the hummus.

"Look at that. I'm learning so much outside the classroom too!"

"Warren Graham, at your service. Best of luck in your missions of love. Next time, I'll try to like someone who I have a chance with." Max thought back to the alternate timeline where Chloe texted Warren that "he didn't stand a chance" after she dared Max to kiss her. Then, a "PING" noise came from her bag.

* * *

_Chloe: yo max rachel and i are going to get some food where r u._

_Me: I'm at the Arcadia SafeWay with Warren. Come pick me up?_

_Chloe: sure. be there in 10._

* * *

She put away her phone and headed towards the checkout. Warren followed her with a armful of Funyuns and Pepsi Maxx.

"Thanks Warren."

"For what?"

"For listening."


	11. Pizza Anyone?

Max gave Warren a hug as she saw a rickety pickup truck approach the entrance of the supermarket.

"Thanks Warren. I'll see you later?"

"Count on it, Maximus Prime." He winked as he started walking off to his own vehicle, taking a second look as he noticed someone hoodied up in the passenger seat. Chloe rolled down the window.

"Hop in."

Max climbed aboard the truck, fully aware of a cheeky Rachel in baggy clothes who was clearly not supposed to be there, having put her black hoodie up and pulled the drawstrings tightly. She resembled a dorky alien, and it was hard to recognise her at first.

"Hiya Max!"

"Hey Rachel...you look pretty, um, fly?"

"She's trying to keep a low profile, but if you ask me, she looks even more suspicious."

"You've got a point. Hm. Chloe, do you have any snapbacks in this truck?"

"Errrrr, let me think. Take a look around around." Max and Rachel scanned the contents of the rusty truck.

"Don't lift up the floor cover unless you wanna fall out."

Max, underneath a mountain of balled up Two-Whale Diner brown paper bags, pulled out what appeared to be a yellow hat.

"Oh! That's my spare beanie. I found it in the mall."

Rachel raised her eyebrows.

"OKAY. I  _MAY_  have sneaked it out of Hot Topic at one point. Without telling anyone." Rachel and Max snickered.

"Good enough for me." She slipped it on.

Max was amazed that Rachel managed to pull off the outfit- she was looking a lot like one of those break dancer girls she saw in a video once.

"Hey Max! What's in the bag?" Chloe could see in her periphery the plastic bag that was resting next to Max's feet.

"Oh, I thought you guys would be at the hospital so I got you guys some snacks. Chloe, I got you some pretzel sticks and peanut M&Ms..."

She pulled out a few yellow packets and Chloe exclaimed in happiness.

"MAX! You're the best!" She got some pretzel sticks out and put them in her mouth.

"You know, when I was a kid, I would pretend these were cigarettes."

"I know." Max and Rachel said simultaneously...After an awkward silence, she continued.

"And Rachel, I didn't know what you might want so I got a mix of Chloe's and my favourite stuff."

"Thanks Max, you rule." Rachel said as she plunged her hand into the bag. She pulled out a packet of black and red liquorice.

"No way! You like black liquorice?"

Max looked bashful. "Haha, yeah. Chloe used to always makes fun of me for it, but I really like it."

"That's hella cool. Actually, I never old Chloe since I saw her react so dramatically to it when she saw other people eat it during Halloween once I decided I would just eat it in secret, but I'm glad I have an ally now." She opened the packet and pulled a strand out to hand to Max.

"Here you are, milady." In an elegant lady voice, Max comically said, "Thank you Madam." Chloe was hissing in the background.

"That stuff is nasty. Pass me an edible one. I mean, a red one." She felt odd that her two best friends were bonding over a disgusting thing like black liquorice.

"So, where are we going?" Max was chewing extra slowly so she wouldn't have black bits stuck in her teeth.

"Not sure yet. What're you guys feeling?"

"Pizza?" Rachel enthusiastically suggested. Max's eye lit up.

"I'm down!"

"Sure thing. Which place?"

"Well my favourite is Zaccardi's. It's a bit further but soooo worth it."

"Yeah! I love Zaccardi's! I would always drag Chloe there after gigs but she was always too lazy to drive, so I would."

"You've driven this thing before?"

"But of course! I helped fix it up too."

"Yeah, Rachel bought most of the replacement parts for it to even start running. It still needs a lot of work."

"Yeah, Chloe found it in the junkyard a few years back and..." while the two chatted away, Chloe turned the speakers on. A Bright Eyes song started to play. She was slightly disconcerted that Max and Rachel were getting on so well, but then again, she did want them to meet. On the other hand, this was before things got super weird.

_"You walk away, I'll walk away  
_ _First tell me which road you will take  
_ _I don't wanna risk our paths crossing some day,  
_ _So you walk that way, I'll walk this way."_

Love always made everything so damn complicated.

—

After a late lunch, where Rachel and Max shared a pizza since they happen to like the similar toppings, and Chloe had a half calzone (the other half, she crammed into a bag for later), the three headed back to the hospital. They drove back in relative silence- everyone was nursing a small food coma, enjoying the sounds of Radical Face. Max dozed off, resting her head on Chloe's shoulder as she drove, while Rachel looking out the window. She was pleasantly surprised that she liked Max. They had a lot of stuff in common. However, the main similarity they shared probably would put a slight halt in their budding friendship.

Rachel wanted to be confident that Chloe wouldn't choose Max over her, but she knew how much it must have hurt Chloe to find out about Frank...especially from Max and not herself. And, knowing how Arcadia Bay worked, she didn't even want to imagine what malicious rumours had spread about her. Rachel was confident, clever, and friendly, which her insecure classmates wanted to perceive as being overly flirtatious and promiscuous. There were multiple occasions when she got drunk at parties and would disappear from the crowds, leaving Victoria and her minions to assume all kinds of scenarios based on whatever guy wasn't in their immediate vicinity. Little did they know, a lot of the times she was meeting Chloe in the bathroom...for no particular reason. Then, when that didn't happen anymore, she skipped a lot parties to hang in Frank's RV, getting the kind of high only induced when hanging out with a drug dealer. She had to lie so many times to Chloe, saying she had lots of projects and homework, or dumbshit familial obligations that couldn't be ignored. She knew Chloe suspected something. As good as Rachel was at lying, overtime Chloe could always tell when something was amiss. She was the first person who ever could.

The way Rachel loved Chloe was...unique. She was a lover who became a best friend. The first girl she ever fell hard for. And she supposed she was the same for Chloe. But Max...Max was her best friend, and then something more.  _Which ran deeper?_ She felt it in the air around this shy girl napping next to her. She looked at Max the same way Chloe used to look at her. Completely and utterly captivated, observing every action, word, gesture, expression, applying their preferences into situations that concerned you, because you were contracted together by the random wily of fate. The thought troubled her.

She looked at Max. She was a very cute girl, whose soft kindness was obvious in her aura. Rachel understood why Chloe adored Max. She was warm. Gentle. Thoughtful. Emotionally stable. She had sacrificed a lot to save Chloe. Though she was still a tad sceptical about the whole "rewinding" magic power she presumably had, she doubted that Chloe's "no bullshit" attitude would have been that gullible. At this point, she believed anything could happen. Chloe trusted her, and so she trusted Max. She only hoped that Max's presence wouldn't mean the end to their relationship; whatever it was. She felt like she was back in that Junkyard, when they played hooky together for the first time.

 _"Like a friendship! But more..."_ Chloe had been brave enough to first acknowledge the undeniable attraction between them. Chloe, still awkward and insecure, had proved that night that she was what Rachel needed: someone who was always going to be genuinely honest to her.

Rachel Amber was an immensely loaded name to bear, given her family's legacy and her father's reputation. Her adopted mother was a droll women who abandoned her business career to be a full-time mother. Now, she was the branch manager at a local real estate agency, and played a rather passive role in parenting, especially when it came to James' ambitions for Rachel. Though she was always a great source of level-headedness or academic advice, Rachel was never able to receive that kind of emotional support from Rose. Her father had stopped being a "dad" years ago, playing the part of a superficial political drone who only cared about keeping up appearances. So long as Rachel didn't fuck up too badly, he never asked too many questions. Neither did her mother. It was almost a relief to discover that her birth mother was just as deranged as she often felt. After having spent most of her life trying to disguise her frustration with excellence, relishing at the idea of leaving a life and an identity she never wanted, she found refuge in Chloe Price. Someone who loved her for her, and nothing else.

Furthermore, Chloe was not only a hot badass, but  _damn_  adorkable.

Rachel knew from the day that Chloe ditched school with her, no questions asked and having barely met her, she would be important to her. No matter what. But the voice inside her head started berating her.

_You were doing what you always do, Rachel. Manipulating and lying to someone else before they can disappoint or do the same to you. Hurt the people who love you the most because you can. Get involved with people who don't give a shit about you because you think you can change them. What's wrong with you? You know how much she loves you. Or maybe she doesn't love you anymore? Are you so fucked up that you break Chloe's heart like that? With Frank? With Jefferson? Admit it, you never loved anyone like you do Chloe. And now, she's still willing to let you treat her like a personal chauffeur. Of course she's going to choose Max. She's so lovely and sweet. Not damaged like you. She would never get herself into a mess like you did._

She could barely remember the weeks that lead up to her abduction.  _What the fuck was I thinking?_  She decided she didn't want to dwell on it too much. She vaguely remembered thinking that Jefferson was going to change her life, but swallowing the concept of the whole thing made her brain ache. She wished she could pretend it never happened, but an overwhelming sensation of dread and coldness would come over her whenever she tried. Chloe noticed Rachel's sudden shivering.

"Hey Rach, you cold?"

"Oh-, I'm fine." Having stopped at a red light, Chloe turned to look at her.

"Come on. It's me."

Rachel looked over at a snoozing Max, comfortable stationed besides Chloe.

"I'll tell you later Chloe. I promise."

Chloe reached a hand over to stroke Rachel's face. She felt her cheek with the back of her hand.

"You're sweating...and it's cold."

"Chloe please... Not now."

Max woke up with a start, confused.

"Are we there...?" Max realised she woke up to a tension that Chloe attempted to quickly diffuse.

"20 more minutes, Max." Chloe petted her playfully, being careful not to meet her eye. Max looked over to Rachel, who was determinedly looking out the window. She looked stressed.

"Hey Rachel, are you alright?"

"Sorry Max. I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay." _They must've had a bit of a row._ She consulted her phone. She had neglected a few texts in the past few days.

* * *

_Kate: !MAX! Call me as soon as you get this! Or just text me back to let me know if you're okay? :-(_

* * *

_Mom: Max! Honey? Are you alright? Your father and I just received a call from the ABPD about you having found a lost girl? And Mark Jefferson has been arrested for murder? What on Earth is going on? Why haven't you been answering my calls?_

* * *

_Dad: Honey, your mom and I are worried sick. Just send us some indication that y_ _ou're safe and sound, otherwise, we are getting on a plane right now to find you._

* * *

"Shit!" Rachel and Chloe both jerked their heads at Max.

Thankfully, her dad's text was from just an hour ago.

_To Dad:_

_Hey Dad! I'm fine! Sorry I didn't reply. I've been busy attending to some things. I'll tel you everything tonight. I'll call you around 7/8. Love you and tell mom too! Xx_

_To Kate:_

_I'm fine, Kate! Thanks for asking. Just a bit shook up. I'll ttyl about it. Xx_

"It's just my parents. They just heard about what happened."

"Are Mama and Pappa Caulfield on their way to Arcadia Bay?"

"Thankfully, no. Not yet, anyways, as far as I'm concerned. I think I just have to call them tonight. I guess I won't be having dinner at yours tonight."

"Let me know what your up to after. We should celebrate Rachel's freedom! Oh," Chloe looked as if she just remembered something. Her face turned dark.

"And we need to figure out this whole thing about the storm."

"Fuck. I almost forgot." Amidst all the happiness surround Rachel's return, the brief glimpse back into everyday routine had momentarily suppressed the urgency of the situation.

_The fucking storm that was going to destroy Arcadia Bay._

"What storm?" Rachel looked puzzled.

"I'll tell you later. Max, I'll drop you off at your dorm after I send Rachel back."

"Isn't Blackwell closer to where we are now than the hospital?"

Max wasn't a fool. Rachel probably wanted to talk to Chloe alone for a while.

"Yeah, you're right Rachel. Chloe, just drop me off at Blackwell first. It's on the way anyways."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Alright."

When they got to Blackwell, Rachel was taking it all in.

"Wow. It feels like I, well, I haven't been here in a long time, have I?"

"Oh Rachel..." Max's sympathy was getting the best of her. She put her hand on Rachel's shoulder.

"If you're coming back to Blackwell, I've got your back."

"Thanks Max." Rachel gave her a hug. The amount of love Chloe felt for Max in that moment was too much for words.

As Max was getting off the car, Chloe told Rachel,

"I'm gonna have a word with Max."

"Sure." She grabbed a bag of apple chips from the bag Max left on her car.

"Hey Max! Wait up! Wait with me while I have a cigarette."

"Okay."

Chloe surveyed Max, and gave her the bag of apple chips.

"I know you like these. You could get hungry later."

"Thanks Chloe."

"No, thank you."

"For what?"

"For being nice to Rachel...for the snacks... for...for being you, I guess."

At this, Max wrapped herself tightly around Chloe.

"I love you, Chloe. I'm happy if you're happy." She let go to look at Chloe.

"I know you and Rachel have a lot of stuff to revolve, and I know she was there for you those 5 years I wasn't... so I know how important she is to you. I know it's pretty sudden, but I can wait-"

Chloe gave Max a kiss, reminiscent of the one she gave Chloe just before the last time she rewinded.

"I just needed you to shut up for a second." Max was blushing so hard she felt the redness in her cheeks. Chloe was pretending that she didn't just kiss Max by lighting a cigarette and looking away. But her face was in a dazed smile that she was failing to suppress.

"To be honest, Max. I have no fucking clue what I'm feeling. Do you think it's possible to love two people at once?"

"I don't know. But all that matters to me is that I have you close. And safe."

Max hated the smell of cigarettes, but she didn't seem to mind it so much when it came to Chloe. She held Chloe's free hand, swinging it back and forth.

"I'll text you later."

"You better."


	12. Frankly, My Dear

Chloe got back in the car. Rachel was staring at her.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Seriously. What are you thinking?"

"I wanted to finish our conversation."

"Oh."

"Chloe, what happened with Fr-"

"Um, I'm not sure I want to hear this."

"Just let me finish." Chloe crossed her arms and turned to properly face Rachel, who slowly shuffled over to sit closer to her.

"What happened with Frank was a mistake…it was a mistake, even though I did end up caring a lot about him. We became good friends after all those times we went to get high. What I didn't tell you for a while was that I was…spiralling. Hard. I tried my best to hide it, but I was desperate, and running out of money. And I didn't want to spend any of the emergency money I was saving for if we ever got out of here…I think for that brief period when we…weren't together like  _that_ , anymore…and I knew Frank liked me, and I needed him." Chloe went from looking stubborn and defensive to disturbed and worried. Rachel continued.

"He gave me whatever I wanted, and I saw a side of him that I never would have imagined. He ended up really getting under my skin. He has it pretty tough, and he was good to me. But the whole time, I never stopped thinking about you. And it killed me to lie to you. But I couldn't stand the thought of you seeing me like that, with him, or have you think that I cared more about him than you. Eventually, he saw that I was in over my head, and he cut me off. I was furious even though I knew and understood why. And on one of my worst benders I ran into Jefferson…and then…"

Rachel realised she had never made these realisations until she just said them. And then she started to cry.

"I don't know what happened. I don't know I don't know I don't know." She buried her face in her hand.

It ached to see Rachel like this. Chloe put her arm around her and tried to comfort her, but she knew she didn't have much to say."

"Rachel…you don't have to say anything else. I'm here for you. Whatever you need." They sat in silence as Rachel's sobs died down. Rachel rested her head on Chloe's shoulder.

"You must be fucking traumatised."

"What? Me? No, I'm perfectly fine. Just, you know, went missing for half a year, can't walk, and I can't stop crying."

Chloe smirked at her sarcasm.

"I don't give a rat's ass about Frank, or whatever happened. But having you come back alive was the best thing I could've hoped for. So I don't care. Because you're here. And we can save this stupid place before we get the hell out of here."

"So..you still want to leave?"

The phrase had been such a routine one that Chloe never once doubted her ambitions to leave Arcadia Bay. But when the question was asked, she had to think of Max. Max was bound to Blackwell for another year, and she was going to be a proper citizen of the world. Not a rebellious high school dropout like her, who relied on dark humour and talking out of her ass to get what she wanted. Max was  _going_  places, and Chloe wanted to be there when she did. She wanted to see one of Max's photographs hang on the walls of some fancy-pants snobby museum. But not even Max couldn't completely derail her desperate desire to get out of Arcadia Bay. She could wait until Max graduated, and move to wherever she was going to university before she did. It would give her time to get more money together, find a job. Then, they could even live together! In a moment of self-reflection, she had to sarcastically comment to herself:

_Damn, Chloe Price. Here you thought you were gonna be forever alone, and now there are TWO people in love with you? Who would've thought?_

_But what about Rachel?_

The dreams they had together all these years of skipping town once and for all had given her the motivation to put up with this hellhole for a few more years. But when she went missing, it was as if there was nothing worth living for. Then Max returned. And helped her find Rachel.

 _And what about Mom?_  She had made up several reasons why Joyce didn't need her, yet she always was a bit hesitant to leave forever because of her. What she didn't want to admit was that she didn't want to leave her. She was the only family she had left. Her remaining parent, who slaved at a shitty diner in Arcadia Fucking Bay to give her a chance at life…which she ultimately squandered, but still… Her mom was with her step-douche, and though she knew her mom loved her like no one else in the world, she had given up and stopped trying to tell Chloe what to do. David would take care of her, she knew. And now, Rachel was back…

"Well, yeah, Eventually. But you're going to need to recover first."

"I'll try."

"Unless…are you thinking of going back to Black-hell?"

"I'm not sure about anything anymore. The thought of going back to that place makes my blood run cold, but I never thought I wouldn't finish high school."

"Hm…I mean, you missed only a few months before graduation. Maybe you can convince Wells to give you a "Congratulations! I'm alive" diploma."

"Now  _that_  would be nice." After a few minutes of silence, Chloe straightened up to start the car.

"We should get you back to the hospital. You dad might be waiting."

Rachel didn't move. She put her arms around Chloe's waist to keep her planted next to her.

"Could we just stay like this? For a bit longer?"

"Sure."

The yellowing leaves of the trees outside were scattering everywhere, flying around, as if dancing with the autumn breeze. The sounds of cars whizzing by and the light whistle of the wind was all that could be heard. The street lamps were starting to turn on, as the sunset in the distance turned the sky a dreamy orange, which contrasted with large groups of dark clouds.

"Chloe Price, you're the best friend I've ever had."

"Rachel Amber, you saved my life. I'm only returning the favour."

It was in tender moments like this their relationship bloomed.

Then, as if it was the next most logical thing to do in this sequence of events, Rachel kissed her. It felt like coming home from a long perilous journey full of stress and anxiety. Chloe was familiar with the touch her of lips, and had dreamed about this happening on a few occasions. Rachel could taste the faint smell of tobacco, wishing she could have a smoke too. Chloe thought back to all those times, behind closed doors, in bathroom stalls, in the junkyard, in this very car. It was almost like the last 6 months didn't happen. She remembered they would often argue about silly things, only to reconcile wordlessly with a kiss like this. Then they would continue on as if nothing happened, ready to confront their next reckless adventure spurred on by their mutual restlessness. Chloe put her hands on Rachel's face, and was surprised how much more delicate she was. As if she was brittle, and would break if she handled her too roughly (which was inevitable for them in these kinds of situations).

"Fuck, I feel like you could break if I held you too hard."

"You're welcome to try." Chloe caught a glimpse the wheelchair in the back.

"Maybe we should head back." Rachel frowned.

"Don't take this the wrong way Rachel, but I have a lot on my mind."

"It's about Max, isn't it?" Chloe didn't respond.

"Whatever you do, Chloe. I support you. So long as it means we can still be close."

"We better be." At this,Chloe slammed her fist on the steer wheel.

"It's impossible. How could I possibly- Why do I have to- the two of you are the most important people in my life!"

Rachel said nothing. She only looked at Chloe helplessly.

"Obviously, I can't make this decision for you." Chloe stared angrily ahead of her.

"Fuck." The engine roared as she turned the screwdriver that was in the keyhole.

"Let's go."

As the truck drove off, a flash went off as a shadowy figure out of sight started to walk away.


	13. King of Carrot Flowers P2

After having to endure the frantic outcry from her mom, Max was grateful that her father maintained a sort of composure during their Skype call.

"When are you coming home?"

_Hm. Good question._

"Mom. Dad. I still have Blackwell to finish. I should probably just stick around for the rest of term."

Max had hoped that this reasoning sounded practical. Blackwell could go fuck itself, for all she cared. She just needed to save everyone first. She had to do it for her. For Chloe.

"Honey, are you sure that's what you want?" Her father had remained stiff and silent for the most part, acting as her mother's arm support for the last 30 minutes of the call. If even her father was asking her, he must be worried.

"Dad. Trust me. I need to be here."

Their sceptical looks seemed dubious, but they never doubted Max's judgement. Unlike so many dysfunctional families around her, the Caulfields were all about mutual trust, support, and understanding. It made sense, since her mother held communication workshops as part of her counselling programme for relationships. After waffling about for another hour, answering those classic concerned parents questions, i.e., what have you been eating? how are classes? was your photography teacher really a serial murderer? etc. etc., Max was finally able to excuse herself by blaming a bad wifi connection. She closed her laptop, and toppled over to lie in bed. After a good 10 minutes of switching between staring into the ceiling and closing her eyes, she thought aloud:

"Alright. Game plan."

She took out several flashcards and got a thick black marker. She started making a list of things to do. Thankfully, she had gotten a map of Arcadia Bay during her orientation week from a welcome packet provided by the school. At the time, Max never would have thought she would ever need it. Especially not for something like this. She unrolled it onto the floor.

She circled all the locations that meant something to her. Blackwell, Chloe's house, Two-Whales, Junkyard, the Bunker.

 _Where to go?_  It would be mental to try and persuade people to go to the underground torture dungeon that Jefferson and Nathan had, but it was a definite storm shelter that would keep people safe during the whole disaster. The whole thought of having to persuade anyone of anything about a storm gave Max a migraine, and she knew that the symptoms of the storm would only start appearing on Monday. Maybe there was another way.

_First, it starts snowing. Then there's dead animals. Beached whales. A freak storm._

She recalled the image of the horrific storm, resembling a very slow moving tornado that almost taunted her with its existence, scattering wreckage all over Arcadia Bay's once picturesque view. After a momentary shudder, she took out a crumpled piece of paper from her pocket. Earlier, on the way back into the dorms, Max had ran into Samuel and tried to nonchalantly ask him of any safe areas in town for natural disasters.

"Do you feel unsafe, Max? Have you foretold a strange fate that awaits us?"

If she didn't know how Samuel usually talked, this dialogue would have freaked her out.

"Well, I was just wondering…since…I read up on some previous, er- things happening, and I was thinking if the citizens of Arcadia Bay would have a place to go,  _if_ the town needed to evacuate…or something."

After so many rewinds, Max was still awful at lying.

"I feel unease in your voice. Perhaps you have some subconscious premonition that inspires anxiety?

The fact that Samuel said this all with minimal change in facial expression was all the more disconcerting. But he droned on.

"No! I mean- I was just curious, is all. If there-".

He cut her off.

"I remember when I was much younger man, there was a secret basement underneath the church. I heard that one of the Prescotts was a fanatical cleric who was convinced that a fallout shelter was necessary during the end of WWII in case of nuclear war. No one believed him, yet no one dared defy him when he built on anyways. I believe I did see the secret door to it underneath where the piano stands." Max just stared. She could see Samuel doing crazy pagan rituals, with robes, candles and all.

"I am not religious, but there is a soothing quality about the inside of a church. I sit there sometimes to ponder upon the mysteries of the world."

"Do you know for sure that it's there?"

"I cannot be say for sure. I have not ever seen its insides, but have only followed the rumours that went around at the time. You can probably find some information online about it, or even go there to look around. The Sacred Heart of the Bay."

_Perfect. Time to investigate._

"Thanks Samuel."

"Good luck Max. I know you are on a mission. I think it was the tidings of fortune and fate that lead you to the discovery of Rachel Amber's physical prison."

Max was stunned. Did Samuel  _know_? No, of course not. How could he? But then again, he was a spiritual guy, even if he was the janitor. When Max first met him, she thought he was high. It turned out he just talked like a sagacious wizard most of the time.

"I know not what you know and see not what you see, but I shall try to assist in any way that I can." He took an old receipt and wrote a number on the back of it.

"This is a pager number. If you call it, I will be summoned."

For the first time in her life, she saw Samuel smile at her. She half-wished she would never have to see it again. It looked unnatural, since his eyes remained in the same dreamy stance that they always did.

"Thanks. I think I will." He nodded slowly, almost in a bow, and Max dashed off into her room before he could say anything else. After spending about half an hour trying to understand how pagers worked, she figured that she should just save it into her phone and test-text him later. They needed all the help they could get. She flipped over the receipt. It was from the liquor store for a few packets of Redvines and root beer.

 _Samuel liked his sweets, eh? Ack. I_   _need to text Chloe._

* * *

_To Chloe:_

_Arrrr! I found a new place we have to pirate around in. We might have to go to church tomorrow morning._

Church. God. Religion. She thought of Kate.

_To Kate:_

_Hi Kate! I was wondering if you were going to church tomorrow? Maybe you could take me and a friend with you?_

Kate instantly responded.

_Kate: ? Are you coming? :-D_

_Me: Yeah. I need to ask some questions._

_Kate: I never thought you would be curious in Christianity, but I'm so happy to hear you'll be there tomorrow morning!_

_Me: Great! Do you know what time the morning service is?_

_Kate: Starts at 9:30, then there's community bible study at 10:30. Wanna join?_

_Me: Maybe. Not sure. We'll see._

_Kate: Cool :)))_

* * *

Max was sure that Kate would know if there was a bomb shelter underneath the church. Or at least must have seen the hatch.  _She must have._

15 minutes later, after googling everything she could about the local church, Chloe responded.

* * *

_Chloe: ahoy god, are you there? it's me, a swashbuckling pirate. i am so down. never thought i would enter the house of god on a sunday morning. what time we going?_

_Me: 9:00. Starts at 9:30 but maybe it'd be worth showing up early to ask around. I heard there's a bomb shelter underneath the piano._

_Chloe: From who?_

_Me: Samuel…_

_Chloe: i have no idea how that guy is a janitor and not some warlock guiding RPG adventurers on their dangerous journey to defeat evil._

_Max: He would've made the perfect DM._

_Chloe: LOL HOLY SHIT YOU'RE SO RIGHT._

_Max: Hahahaha :)_

_Chloe: NO EMOJI_

_Max: :-P :-3_

_(V).v.(V) — that's a crab_

_Chloe: you're a dork._

_Max: So are you._ _Are you picking me up later?_

_Chloe: You wanna sleep over?_

_Max: Duh._

_Chloe: be there in 20._

* * *

Max circled the location of the church on the map, and started creating a list of people who would potentially believe them. She wanted to convince Dana and Juliet; not only were they nice to Max, but they also were involved in the Vortex scene. Juliet, as the reporter of the school newspaper, could potentially publish a story on it. Dana, as a cheerleader, could convince those more popular kids of the danger.  _But how do we get them on our side?_

Warren would be no problem. He would believe Max in a heartbeat. Which meant, maybe he could get the science people to safety. Max also had more rapport with the less popular crowd, since she too was an awkward loner type who enjoyed niche interests that the more confident kids tended to mock.

What Max didn't want to consider was the outrageousness of what she was trying to do, because that would diminish her own confidence. Sure enough, if a few weeks ago, someone had predicted a massive earthquake, they'd be bullied into nervous breakdown. But she was able to convince someone. And another. If she could do that, maybe she could pull it off.

As for the rest of Arcadia, she could only think about Frank. Perhaps Frank, with all his underground connections, could make a massive influence on people in town. Who knows how many clients he might have? Max was guessing that in order to survive in Arcadia Bay as an average adult, drugs were probably a daily necessity. She bet that Rachel could help her out with getting his help.

She remembered walking back from the parking lot, jumping beans (Max no longer liked to use butterflies in metaphors) in her stomach after having been kissed by her best friend. With  _Rachel Amber_  in the car, waiting.

Rachel was…lovely. There wasn't any other word she could use to describe her. After hearing so much of everyone else's two cents about the girl, she wasn't surprised at all. Yet they also painted her as a slut and a manipulative mastermind. How could that be? Surely Chloe wouldn't befriend anyone like that, let alone fall in love with. Max felt a slight jab of envy at the idea. She could picture the two of them, a younger Chloe and Rachel, making out in the Junkyard shed and smoking spliffs, listening to punk rock. They had so much more in common…She was beautiful, had more style, self-assurance, assertiveness. That was all evident within the first 10 minutes of meeting her. There was definite depth. Well, outside of the hospital, that is, but Max cut her some serious slack. She had infinite sympathy for her. But that didn't mean she enjoyed feeling somewhat of a third wheel to their conversations on the car.

_What did the kiss mean, Chloe?_

She found herself feeling the onset of a migraine, and decided to play some guitar to clear her head. It always helped when she was trying to recalibrate her focus. She picked up her guitar and started to play. Although her singing was restricted to the shower room when she could ensure she was completely alone, she hummed along to the tune.

"When you were young you were the king of carrot flowers,  
And how you built a tower tumbling through the trees  
In holy rattlesnakes that fell all around your feet"

Ironically, she was reminded that the part two of the song went like this:

"I love you Jesus Christ,  
Jesus Christ I love you, yes I do."

_I bet Kate would like this song._


	14. Step-Douche, Step Aside

By the time they reached the hospital, Rachel's father had been waiting for a while. He was fuming, but didn't say anything to Chloe. He didn't even ask for privacy like she was expecting him to.

"Girls…you were not supposed to leave the hospital. AND, you were supposed to be here 2 hours ago."

Chloe looked guilty, but Rachel looked indifferent. Chloe wheeled her back and carried her onto the bed. Mrs. Amber looked annoyed, but said nothing.

"I'm gonna go. See ya tomorrow morning, Rachel."

James nodded at her dismissal and Mrs. Amber bid her a good night. Rachel's eyes were disappointed to see her go, but she knew she was bound to spend some "quality time" with her parents. Chloe had said before on the car before they reached the hospital:

"Yo. Max says we gotta investigate the church tomorrow."

"What? Didn't know she was into that stuff."

"She isn't. It's for the storm."

"Oh." Chloe was too busy texting back Max to pay attention to how Rachel was clearly irked by her lack of mobility AKA freedom to go wherever the fuck she pleased.

"What time?"

"She said we're meant to go at 9:00."

"Fuck that's early."

A brief pause later, Rachel blurted out:

"Can I come?"

It sounded almost childish the way she said it.

"I dunno Rachel..You're not exactly in the best condition, AND you're still not supposed to leave the hospital yet."

"I'll probably be out by tonight."

"…I can't sneak you places. Not with this." She motioned at the wheelchair.

"We can figure it out! I could help! I could distract people with my presence, or something…"

"That's exactly it though. You'll draw attention, and it might make us seem suspicious."

Rachel frowned. She knew Chloe was right, yet she didn't want to be left out of the action, forced to confront her own thoughts. That was the last thing she wanted to do. Moreover, she was definitely interested in Max's powers. Specifically, if they were real.

"I'll text you anything we find out." All she could muster was a sad smile.

"Fine."

And that was that. Before leaving, she gave Rachel a quick peck on the cheek, and scampered out of there. There was too much Amber in that room, and only one Price.

* * *

Before Chloe texted her to come downstairs, she also mentioned:

_Chloe: hey max. bring ur guitar._

Max didn't want to say that they wouldn't have time to sing songs while they were trying to execute a complex and intricate plan to save the whole town, but she thought it could take off the edge. At this, she also grabbed her tiger balm. It was going be  _that_ kind of weekend.

The two of them stayed up until the early hours, trying to piece together potential ideas. Lists of people they knew and where they lived. David eventually got home around 10PM and saw that they were up to something. He sized them up, looking nosily at the papers gathered around them. Max eventually plucked up the courage to try and convince the old veteran to help them on their mission.

After a good hour of trying to convince him. Max, using what she remembered from her previous rewinds, talked in detail about his secret surveillance cameras around the house, petition to install more cameras at Blackwell, his Rachel Amber investigation and planned confrontation with Kate Marsh, even the codes to his padlocks- he seethed silently as he reluctantly agreed to listen to what she had to say.

"Grrr...A storm? What are you playing at Max?"

He was outraged that they had gone through the garage (even though there absolutely no traces) but he was definitely impressed that Max knew so much about things she had no business knowing. After the weekend that they had experienced together, he was even more paranoid than usual. But even so, he wanted to trust his step-daughter's freckly best friend. She had lead him to then end of a long chase that had begun half a year ago, finally letting him crack down on the culprits of disgusting crimes and even finding Rachel Amber, who he had long presumed was dead. She saved his life, Chloe's life, probably, and all the future victims that those rat-bastards would have claimed. Though slightly annoyed by how a 18 year-old girl bested him, she clearly had some kind of intuition for these things. Still, he was always up to speed with the weather reports. They mentioned nothing more than heavy rainfall. Despite everything, it sounded supernatural. Before he had time to interrogate them, ready to bark out his rebuttal and doubts, they heard Joyce come in at 12:34AM from the late shift at the diner.

"Honey?"

Chloe and Max came down with him to greet her. Joyce gave Chloe and David a big hug.

"It's been a long day, huh?" Chloe quietly said.

"I'm just happy to come home to my two favourite people in the world."

Max awkwardly stood there, beaming at this family moment.

"Get in here, girl!" Joyce struggled to wave to Max to join. David and Chloe were rather tall. Max joined in on the outskirts of the hug, but she felt Chloe's hand find hers.

When they all broke away, Joyce eyed David and Chloe.

"Now…what were you two doing? Y'all hanging out all a sudden?" She looked in disbelief, half laughing at the prospects.

"I was just…" Chloe looked in panic at her step-father.

"I was just helping Chloe with some problems she's been having with her truck."

Damn, David had serious pokerface.

"Yeah."

Joyce didn't seem entirely convinced, but she wasn't going to ask too many questions. Her daughter and her new husband were actually not bickering for once. She would jump for joy if it wasn't for her throbbing feet.

"I'm exhausted. George came in tonight and was already drunk as a dog, and he keep HOUNDING me for more beer." She paused for laughter. Max eventually attempted an audible chortle.

"Then, I told him, 'George, all I got is coffee and tea. And if you start misbehaving I'm gonna throw your ass outside.' I swear to Jesus almighty, if I have one night of peace in that damn diner…" She sighed.

"I'm going to bed. I got early shift tomorrow. Don't get into trouble." She kissed Chloe and Max on the forehead and gave David a quick kiss.

Max furiously scribbled down all the details rewinded.

* * *

The second time around, Max told David everything that was going to happen in the next 15 minutes, including everything Joyce said, verbatim. Even the bad pun about hounds. Then, she lightly threatened to tell Joyce about all of his manic activities if he wasn't less of a douchebag while they were planning. David, though huffy and gruffy, was dumbfounded, and though still felt extremely suspicious of how Max knew everything, he eventually shut up joined them for the latter part of the night.  _This girl...she's freaky._

After Joyce went into the bedroom, without a moment's hesitation, David marched back upstairs and discretely ordered the girls to do the same. Though he was bossy and still mansplained everything, he was an adult that had actual capacity to investigate. He could've been a professional P.I., but he settled for a unsuspecting security guard at a posh boarding school for artsy kids.

Providing his ridiculously detailed knowledge of the geography of the city, along with a list of names documenting all of Arcadia Bay's civilians, Max felt like it was going to be possible. She and Chloe communicated wordlessly about how was it that he knew an abnormal amount about the city and its inhabitants, but was distracted by the fact that David's contacts at the police station might be willing to receive an anonymous tip that would ensure a high level alert for natural disasters. Forest fires were common, and David had gained some favourable reviews after reporting more than a few reckless picnickers who almost caused uncontainable fires in the park on multiple occasions.

They saw that this plan of theirs lit a  _fire_  in his heart. And he was a man with a purpose, whatever that purpose was. It was like an addiction. They girls went to bed before he did, leaving him pounding numbers and messages on his computer in the garage.

When they woke up a few hours later, David was still up. But he looked more or less the same, which probably meant that he was always up late researching something.

A grumpy Chloe and a drowsy Max went into the garage to see him still at it. He noticed their presence at once.

"Girls. Take a look at this. I've got to go to work now, but we'll be in touch. Chloe has my number." He handed them a fat folder and pointed at the bulletin board he had set up. He had made about a million new marks on Max's map of Arcadia Bay. He left swiftly in his uniform.

"Shit. David's got some skills." Chloe was shocked.

Max could barely see clearly enough to notice what David had done.

"Fucking hell. Okay, we're going to have to come right back here after church. This is…" Chloe noticed she kicked over some files.

"…a lot to take in."


	15. Secrets of the Pew

Max and Chloe looked like the least likely pair of people who would appear at a Sunday service. Their lack of enthusiasm emanated obvious sleep deprivation, shown in their sluggish movements, looking like two lost lambs in a field. They both had styrofoam cups filled with instant coffee that was lazily made. However, Max looked more dreamy and out of it, while Chloe just appeared to be more "someone you didn't want to mess with" than usual. They met Kate at the entrance.

"Max! Over here!" Kate was in her Sunday best- a cute white blouse covered by a very cute periwinkle cardigan, matched with a nice black skirt of modest length. Her eyes lingered on Chloe, but only in mild surprise. She gave Max a hug, and she accepted it, albeit, wobbly.

"Who might this be? I don't think I've seen you before." Max saw Kate survey Chloe's blue hair, which was tucked under a navy blue beanie that was also partially covered by the hood of her jacket. Chloe had thankfully remembered to wear something long sleeved to cover up her tattoos and left her leather jacket on the truck, but unfortunately, that meant wearing a zip-up black hoodie with the words "MAYDAY MAYDAY" emblazed on the back, above several tour dates in various areas in Oregon. She still wore ripped up jeans with a low-cut tanktop on the inside, which prompted Max, who had been staring for a while at her chest, to immediately turn around and zip it all the way up, so at least Chloe could be…less distracting. Chloe smirked.

 _If I couldn't look away, it would distract others too,_ Max told herself. As she turned around to face Kate, she tried to energetically say:

"This is Chloe. We've been friends since forever."

"It's so nice to meet y-" Kate went to shake her hand, but Chloe took hers and gave it a comically over-the-top genteel kiss above the knuckles like some kind of Disney prince.

"Nice to meetcha." Chloe said, winking at Kate, then Max. She immediately flushed red and withdrew her hand nervously, looking stunned and stroking the part that Chloe had just grazed with her lips. Max didn't know if she should be furious, or to burst out laughing. She restrained both and settled for an internal snark.

_Chloe Price. Some Lady Killer you are._

Kate was suddenly very shy, and said very quietly, still red as a tomato, and not daring to look Chloe directly in the face.

"Um, haha, yeah. The service starts in 30 minutes. I was thinking we could maybe get some coffee or cake. There's usually a table of snacks in the corridor before it begins…"

Kate tugged onto Max's for familiarity and linked into her arm to lead her inside. Chloe followed behind them, taking the whole scenery in while her hands dug into her pockets. She had never been religious, obviously, but it was intriguing to see what it would be like. To understand a bit better what those Christians were always up to on Sundays. She got a text.

* * *

_Steph: Hey Callamastia. I heard about the news. Holy shit. Just wanted to let you know that I'm glad you're okay, and to see how you were. Tell Rachel I said hello. Call me if you get a chance. I might be in Arcadia Bay sometime next month. We should hang._

* * *

_Hell yeah._  Steph Gingrich was one of the few people that she would also call a friend when she was still in Blackwell. She had left Arcadia Bay to go to Boston a year ago and had just began studying at Wellesley. She had kept in touch on and off in the last 3 years.

They were bonded forever together with Mikey since they had a 2 year long D&D relationship, and that kind of shit ran deep. Not only had they ventured in several mystical lands, but Steph was also essentially Chloe's queer safe haven in an otherwise straight-as-fuck town. The gays had to stick together, and Rachel, Chloe, and her would talk about riot grrrl music and girl-power zines when no one even knew what feminism was. She also played a crucial role in Chloe's understanding of her own sexuality. She was the first one that she "officially" came out to, and no one ever forgets  _that_  person in their life. Thinking about Steph was funny, since she had a huge crush on Rachel since the day they met. Yet somehow, the " _Rachel Amber_ " had decided to hang out with the campus delinquent. She remembered when Steph had asked Chloe if Rachel was "single" in the first few days after Rachel had even acknowledged Chloe's existence, and she had fumbled a "eerr ah, I don't know, um." Not only did Steph back off immediately, but she must have sensed a queer kinship, because she had sweetly offered support and comfort to "talk about anything". Chloe didn't realise how much she would need it until much later.

* * *

_Me: yo steph. i'm good. that was some messed up shit, but rachel is safe. i'll tell her you said hello. did you get the new zine that i made recently? how is wellesley? cute girls? LOL. missing you mucho dude. send mikey my love._

* * *

Mikey was also in Boston and he shared an apartment with her and 3 other people. He was studying graphic design at the local arts and design college on a full-ride scholarship. Speaking of rides, she thought of Rachel.

* * *

_To: Rachel_

_hey steph says hi from boston. also, i'll come pick u up after church okay?_

_Rachel: Kk._

* * *

They all entered the church hall to loiter around the tables just before the actual inside. There were a plentiful selection of food items, savoury and sweet, and Chloe thought she might have to convert to Christianity for the free food. She took 4 sandwiches in one hand and 4 pieces of coffee cake, trying to discretely eat them without looking greedy. The hall was so echoey that her chewing noises were amplified. Kate and Max smiled at Chloe's behaviour.

"I'm really glad you came, Max. I'm excited to see what you think. Pastor Giles is great, because he doesn't talk in strict bible speech, like Pastor Stewart. He just speaks in relatable ways that are understandable for everyone."

Max wasn't quite listening; she saw that Chloe had started to shove some of the food into her pockets. Max tried to divert Kate's range of vision in the opposite way.

"Ah! Is that so? Great! Well you gotta lead the way. Say…" She looked around.

"Kate, do you know anything about a storage room or something in the church?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like, an underground space maybe? I was reading up on the church, and I heard from someone that there was an underground bomb shelter underneath the church." Kate squinted and looked up, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.

"Hm…I mean, there is the basement where they put all the food. I've seen Pastor Giles carrying mountains of snacks into the Church, and I can't say where else he could've put them."

Max tried to play it cool.

"DO YOU KNOW WHERE IT IS?"

Kate was startled by her sudden burst.

"Er, I think so. The entrance is under the piano. But no one is really allowed there, unless you help with Sunday service. And even then, the pastors can manage themselves."

"Okay…" She looked at Chloe, who had many "napkins" bulging out of her pockets. "Excuse me Kate."

She walked up to Chloe and opened her bag.

"Put everything in here. we can have it for lunch later."

"You're the best, Max." Chloe gave her a swift kiss on the forehead while she started emptying her loot into her bag. Max blushed.

"Anyways, there IS a underground bit, so Samuel was right. It's underneath the piano."

"What should we do?"

"I was thinking I could distract, and you could look around…or you could distract?"

"Haha, yeah, I think I'm better at causing a scene than you are."

Max smiled. "…But, how are you going to do that?"

"Hm..what's this pest's name again?"

"Pastor. Pastor Giles. Or Pastor Stewart. Apparently there's two of them and they both live together in the house right across the street."

"Huh. Interesting." Chloe made a suggestive look.

"What?"

"I bet they get lonely." Chloe said it cheekily, and Max gave her a shove.

"Oh, come on." Chloe moved towards Kate.

"Let's do this, shall we?"

"Okay. Service starts in about 20 minutes, so we don't have much time."

"Max! You can rewind time."

"Still!" Max had to smile. Chloe walked up to Kate, who then replied to something Chloe said sheepishly and pointed at a door marked "Office". Chloe looked back at Max as she gave her a quick thumbs up, hooking her arm around a nervous Kate to lead her into the office. Max, quickly surveying the area, snuck into the internal bit of the church.

She walked inside and was struck by the stained glass that was on the sides of the walls. They were beautifully coloured, depicting melodramatic scenes of the Bible. She walked into the holy space and felt like she was violating something sacred. She saw that the stage was prepared with a podium that had a microphone attached to it, and it was stationed near a old-fashioned piano that was in front of some of the pews.

_Bingo._

She saw that underneath the piano there were markings on the floor that showed it was moved a lot, and she easily rolled the piano to the other side to open the hatch. Luckily, the padlock was unlocked. After climbing down some steps, blindly looking for a light switch, Max saw that it was a pretty standard basement storage room. It was also decked out with boxes of multipacks of crisps, cans of tuna, lollipops, and other brightly coloured packages.

If Costco had a mini-mart, it would look like this.

Max took out her polaroid and snagged a photo. The plastic reflected the light so the colours were brilliantly glimmering in comparison to the mustiness of the cellar. It was big enough to fit 20 people comfortably, and had food that would last for weeks. She saw that there was a big box of Hershey's kisses and put a few into her pockets quickly.

* * *

_To: Chloe_

_Hey. I found the basement. It's massive! It's also packed with food…this could be perfect. How is it going?_

_Chloe: they're talking my ear off about jesus. i mean he sounds like an okay guy but srsly it's a lot to take in. kate is kinda helping since they're all really into the discussion. shit gtg pay attention i think you have 10 minutes more get out while you can_

* * *

At the back she saw a small sitting area, with an old sofa and a coffee table. There was a small library at the very back, filled with religious scripture and several versions of the bible. On the table, there were a few magazines: "Photography Today!" and "Gardening Daily". She couldn't help herself.

She opened the magazine, expecting to see magnificent images of geographically unique locations, in high definition and clever angles. Instead, she found several photos of naked men wearing leather collars.

"What the…" She keep flipping the pages. She realised the "Photography Today!" front was merely a cover. The magazine was actually called "Leather Twinks", which claimed to be the "most popular gay porn magazine for leathered up hotties." Max felt the buzz of a text.

* * *

_Chloe: max max max it's starting please tell me you're out of there!_

* * *

Without thinking too much about it, Max took the magazine and ran back to the entrance, turned off the light, and shut the hatch. She moved the piano back over the hatch and ran to hide somewhere. Fruitlessly, she stood in of the doorway, hoping they would open it the right way so she would stay hidden.


	16. WWJD

In a moment of stillness, she remembered that should she rewind, all her possessions would stay with her.

* * *

She returned to the moment when Chloe was just about to talk to Kate, and she managed to pull Chloe back by the sleeve.

"I got it." Chloe was taken aback.

"What?!"

"Shhh. Be quiet. I've got something to show you."

"Damn, Max. You  _are_  super-sized."

They went to the restroom, which was, thankfully, a single stall. Max pulled out the magazine after much sifting through napkins filled with cookies and sandwiches. She held it to her face to show her blue haired friend.

"Hole-lee-shittttt…" Chloe grabbed it from her hands and started flipping through the pages. Her eyes widened with each page.

"This…is…"

"I know."

"I fucking called it."

"I know."

"Damn, Mad Max…this is…" Max's own surprise rendered her speechless, only able to respond with stupefied look.

"Well…we could deffo blackmail these bitches."

"What?!"

"We have to tell the posers that we know their secret! Then they have to let us use their snack room. I bet it doubles as a gay sex dungeon."

"Chloe!"

"What? It's messed up they can preach stuff about Jesus when clearly…" Chloe pointed to one of the pages that showed some particularly graphic leather S&M.

"They get off with this stuff." She was barely containing her laughter. Max looked sympathetic.

"Dude. Come on. It's for the greater good."

"I don't know. It's never nice to out someone like that." Max knew that she was right. After a brief pause, she responded to Chloe's expectant look.

"Fine."

They exited the stall together to find Kate waiting for the both of them outside. When she saw Chloe behind Max, she couldn't help but look a bit suspect.

"What were you two up to in there?" Kate said inquisitively, trying to not smile.

"We need to talk to the pastors. Now." Chloe interjected energetically, while Max cowered behind her.

* * *

They all went into the office, where Pastor Giles and Pastor Stewart were chatting to each other, just about the leave the room.

"What can I do for you lovely young ladies?" Pastor Giles had said kindly. He was younger than Pastor Stewart, cleanly shaved and probably in his mid-thirties. Pastor Stewart looked more solemn and serious, sporting a large ginger beard to accompany his orange brown hair. He looked at the girls with annoyance.

"The service is about to start and no one is allowed in here…unless you have business to discuss."

"Yeah. Which one of you is into kinky gay sex?" Chloe blurted out spontaneously. Max and Kate were shocked.

"Pardon?" Pastor Giles appeared to believe that he had misheard what Chloe had said, but Pastor Stewart's eyes turned dark; his body became rigid and defensive.

"What are you talking about?" Pastor Stewart's voice was trying to suppress rage.

Max looked at Chloe. She knew that she couldn't confront someone like this. But Chloe could. Kate only observed silently, her hands over her mouth. Chloe took the cue from Max to urge on.

"Well, we found this nice little magazine in the basement…" Before she could whip it out from Max's bag, Pastor Stewart slammed his fist on the nearby desk and started to yell.

"How DARE YOU, accuse us of such SLANDER?" Pastor Giles looked startled.

"Calm down Riley. I'm sure it's a simple misunderstanding." He looked at Chloe.

"Hello there…" He looked at Chloe, waiting for an introduction.

"Chloe."

"Hi Chloe. I don't know what you guys have seen, but I'm sure there is a logical explanation for it." He looked at Riley. Chloe laughed.

"Yeah. It means one of you is gay as a rainbow." Pastor Giles started rubbing his temples as Pastor Stewart looked livid, but suddenly, afraid. At this, Chloe took out the magazine and threw it on the desk.

"You shouldn't leave this lying around then."

"Where did you find that?"

Riley seized it immediately and put it into the shredder. Pastor Giles went to calm him.

"Riley…calm down."

"No Fran, how can I be calm? How?!" He started pacing around frantically. Before the confrontation, he looked solid as a rock. Now, it appeared he was on the fringes of a nervous breakdown.

"They know!" Riley looked at Francis tenderly with fear in his voice. Kate had never heard Pastor Stewart talk so vulnerably and informally.

"Riley. John 4:18. Just remember. There's nothing wrong with it." Pastor Giles went to hold him by the shoulders. Then, we went over to face Chloe, with Max and Kate stood behind her. Pastor Giles looked defeated.

"Please. Please don't tell anyone." There was desperation and pleading in his voice. Pastor Stewart was sitting behind him in his chair, his face buried in his hands and quietly weeping. Chloe's aggression vanished. Max found her voice then.

"We won't! We won't tell anyone." For a moment, both men looked relieved. Chloe continued.

"On one condition." Riley and Francis were listening attentively.

"Let us use the basement. No questions asked. Next Friday." Everyone but Chloe and Max looked bewildered at this strange request.

"Bu-" Francis tried to question, but Chloe interjected.

"NO. QUESTIONS. ASKED." Francis looked back to Riley, whose eyes were wet with tears of shame.

"We have no choice." Pastor Stewart said. Chloe looked at this otherwise stern man in utter devastation. Even she couldn't stand to see a grown man cry, especially after a threat like that.

 _Being outed is never nice. Especially if you're religious_ , she thought. But she didn't want to think about that. She had a goal, and she knew damn well that Max wasn't good at this kind of stuff.

"We'll need access to the Church. We'll be in touch." She scribbled down her number on a post-it pad that happened to be on the desk.

"Call us when you're ready to talk in a more…" She looked around at the church office.

"…casual setting." She turned to the door, almost forgetting that Kate was there with them.

"Come on Max." Max could only apologise with her sad gaze, flashing a glance at both pastors while she and Chloe left the office.

* * *

They said nothing until they reached Chloe's car. Max thought Kate would chase after them, but they were alone in the car park. She was guiltily remembering how the atmosphere in that office had been.

"Chloe…" Max didn't know what to say. All she knew was that she didn't like what had happened. Or, at least, how it happened. But then again, how else could it have gone down? She had to think about the storm. She had to think about saving Chloe. Kate. Rachel. Even Warren appeared briefly in her mind. A bit more emotional trauma on a select few of Arcadia Bay's citizens would be a small cost of their survival.

"That fucking sucked." Chloe was lighting a cigarette, leaning against the hood of her truck.

"But…it had to be done. Fuck." She took a long drag.

"All that shit you hear about gay priests…right in our town too…that's messed up. You think..?"

Max knew where this was going. She had read a few articles about god-awful holy men who had secretly been paedophiles all along.

"No. I don't know. It didn't seem like it."

"What do you mean?"

She saw the fear in his eyes, and how lovingly the pastors seemed to treat each other. Maybe they  _are_ a couple, she wondered.

"I think they're just…closeted." Max vaguely knew the feeling. Though she had never really thought much of her sexuality, she knew that she would never feel comfortable talking about it with anyone other than her closest friends. Her parents were fairly open minded people, but she had seen so many movies where shame would lead to depression, and then self-harm. How people would rather live unfulfilling lives rather than live openly as an potentially ostracised member of society. She couldn't even imagine what it would be like- to be raised religious and to realise that your own God had assigned you to eternal damnation for having feelings for someone of the same sex.

"I think he's probably afraid that people would assume things…like what you're assuming now." At this, Chloe seemed to regret what she said at once.

"Yeah. I know what you mean." Chloe looked at the sky, trying to calm herself by cloud watching.

Max's phone buzzed.

Kate: Max. Are you still near the church? I need to talk to you.

—

15 minutes later, Kate had rushed outside, walking purposefully towards Max and Chloe. When she got to them, she stood face to face with the two of them, but said nothing. She had a look of disappointment and anger.

"I was talking to Pastor Stewart and Pastor Giles. I think it's horrible what you guys are doing. They're just trying to serve God in the best way that they can, despite being…" She couldn't even explicitly say what, but there was no doubt that the word "homosexuals" filled the blank.

"You don't understand, Kate. You'll see. I can't tell you why, and I know it doesn't make sense, but you'll see."

"You should be ashamed of yourselves. I never would've thought you, of all people, would  _blackmail_ anyone. They are really good people, you know?" Max couldn't reply. She knew that if she tried, she would start crying.

"Isn't it against your religion to be that way?" Chloe tried to defend Max by changing the subject.

"God teaches us not to judge. To love your neighbour. To be kind and honest. Personally, I don't have anything against it. And I would  _never_  make anyone feel attacked about it either."

At that, she stormed off. Max felt heartbroken to see Kate direct so much fury towards her. She had never seen her like that. Kate had always been so serene and kind. Max wanted to cry. She felt Chloe's arm around her.

"Hey. You know it's not like that, and that it's not your fault." Max turned around to hug her tightly. Chloe smelled like doughnuts and cigarettes. It made her feel a little better to be locked in a tight embrace. Chloe's phone started ringing, which forced them to break apart.

"Hello? Yeah…we just got out. You won't fucking beli-" Max looked at Chloe with a warning. Chloe retracted her sentence.

"I'll tell you later. Okay. Right. I'll be there in 10…yes, I can buy you a smoothie. Fine. Okay. Bye, love you." Max's ears perked up at the last two words that Chloe had said, and even Chloe became awkward.

"Um…sorry. Habit. No, I'm not taking it back but..you know what I mean. Bye Rachel." She hung up, avoiding Max's gaze.

"We gotta go pick up Rachel. Come on."


	17. Squad Goals

The doctors had recommended that the Ambers let Rachel stay for another night in the hospital, just in case, but she insisted that she didn't need it. To be honest, the idea of being confined within those clinical walls reminded her too much of when she was there a few years ago, having made a radical decision that almost killed her. If it wasn't for her guardian angel, she would have bled out in a junkyard…and  _that_ , was no way to go. Not to mention, it was the place where she had discovered the disgusting reality of what a dirtbag her dad could be. Everything changed after that.

She had regained enough stamina to regain feeling in her legs, but it would take time to use them properly again. Crutches were given to her, but they lied abandoned in her room while her father carried her up and down the stairs each time she needed him to, still with the same swiftness as when he did it for her as a small child. After a few of these trips, however, she was getting annoyed at her own helplessness, frustrated that she couldn't do simple things like getting up the stairs. At some point, she just refused to go downstairs. Everything comes full circle, she guessed. Despite the tumultuous relationship she's had with her parents, she was glad to have her mother and father, even if they did lie to her for all of her life. After almost dying a handful of times (which was 2 times too many), Rachel was starting to see that the perhaps the blind pursuit of truth was not the safest nor noblest goal. She was determined to stay alive. For her parents. For her own sake. And for her...Chloe.

She smiled to herself for having to make such an obvious promise, but she imagined that few people actually got themselves caught up in the kind of fucked up situations that she did.

Much of the night was spent looking at the ceiling, once again, gazing at the stars that Chloe had craftily put there with a flashlight. Her room was just as she left it, but a sense of abandonment lingered. She imagined her mother here in the past 6 months, trying to clean and organise her room, unable to be sure when it would ever become messy again. The whole thing seemed like a dream- her memory was like a watery cloud, indistinguishable from the kind of vivid dream where waking up is disappointing or confusing. She texted Chloe all night, jealous that she wasn't able to go to the church on what seemed like an important mission. Rachel was comforted that the person she trusted the most was still there for her, but now there was someone else who Chloe paid attention to. Rachel didn't realise how much she took that for granted. And now, Arcadia Bay was on the verge of destruction. Rachel would believe anything now.

Only having slept for a few hours, she tried to read the novel she never finished to distract herself. After a few pages in, "The Lovely Bones" hit too close to home to continue. Rachel surveyed her room, so full of mementos from another time in her life, reminded of all her naïveté, and how Chloe had only ever tried to protect her. How could she have been so stupid? She knew better. Yet, she still fucked herself up even more.

"Maybe I am just like Sera."

She opted to watch shitty television to numb herself as she waited.

They arrived a little bit after _, and the vibe that Chloe and Max carried was heavy. With a somber tone, Chloe handed Rachel her smoothie.

"Raspberry Blast. My favourite."

"With a dash of cinnamon." Chloe remembered. She smiled weakly.

"What happened you guys? Tell me everything."

Max only managed to look pensively out the window, so Chloe lied down next to her to update her on what had happened in the church. When Chloe had finished, Rache could only chuckle at the absurdity of it all.

"Looks like Arcadia Bay needs a bigger pride parade."

"As if they have one." Max finally spoke. The three smiled at the prospect. The idea of the dull streets of this shithole town, truckers and drunk assholes galore, being showered in confetti and rainbow flags was a hilarious thought. The term "small town gay" came to mind.

"Let's make a pact." Max and Chloe were mildly curious about what Rachel had to say.

"Let's go to SF one day for pride. Together." She looked warmly at Max, who couldn't help but blush.

"That is the best plan I've heard all day." Chloe had gotten up to rifle through Rachel's closet. Inside she found a tiny pride flag badge.

"Fuck, How did you know that was there?"

"You told me. Don't you remember?" Rachel shook her head. Chloe started telling Max all about how they snuck out of town for a weekend to go to an underground riot grrl party at a neighbouring town. There was a lot of booze, a lot of girls, and a lot of rainbows. Rachel couldn't help but relive those days as Chloe described them. She noticed Chloe left out the part where they secretly fooled around backstage, just before they met the lead singer of their favourite band, Cunterpoint.

"They were throwing out loads of these to the crowd." It was nice that Chloe always made her feel normal.

" _No way_! You met Aurora Kleeson?" Chloe nodded pridefully. They prattled on for a while, the conversation ended with a curt question.

"So how are we going to save Arcadia fucking Bay?"

A part of her didn't even want to. A part of her wanted it to burn to the ground. Ironically, it almost did, and at her hand. So much shit happened here. So much shit that she'd rather walk away from. But she was done being selfish and impulsive. She had to fight the Leo in her nature. She wanted to help, but how?

"As soon as we find more places for shelter, and get the word out, it'll be fine. We've still got a few days, right Max?" She nodded. She looked at Rachel.

"Rachel, were you part of the school paper at all?" Rachel explained that she had only flirted with the idea, but she could care less about the ongoings of Blackwell. Juliet had asked her many times to join the opinions column, knowing how well Rachel wrote. She and Juliet were friendly because they acted together in a couple of school productions, serving as an unbiased third party in the drama between her and Dana's Vortex bs. A poster of The Tempest hung on her wall. The thought of Chloe in spandex always made her giggle.

"Do you think you could message her with a favour?" Max was having a hard time thinking of what exactly Rachel could tell her.

"Juliet is pretty popular online. She probably has most of the town following her...Oh shit." Juliet had confided in Rachel that she was the famous anonymous advice giver of the town, Miss Arcadia, and she had promised not to tell anyone. Well, that hardly seemed important now.

"Really? I thought Juliet was only known for writing biased as fuck journalism." Chloe was going through Rachel's stuff, pulling out bits and bobs that she hadn't seen since Rachel had disappeared. Max, however, caught on.

"Wait. Is Juliet...Miss Arcadia?" A stunned look on Max's face didn't even need confirmation. Rachel's lack of a response was enough.

"Fuuuuuuck. Are you shitting me?"

"Nope." Chloe could barely contain her joy.

"Yes! This is gonna work. It's gonna work out, you guys!" Rachel wished she could jump up and down with her, but all she could do was smile at her dorky blue haired angel. Max looked less convinced.

"Well, we should definitely try."

By the time lunch rolled around, which was some leftover casserole from the night before, kindly left by Rose, who was gracious enough to stay in her room the whole time, they had started planning. Rachel didn't mind eating downstairs, since Chloe carried her down, like a princess being saved by her knight in shining armour. If knights could be punk rebels and ripped denim and leather could count as armour.

"Okay, so step one, Rachel is gonna get Juliet to post something on Miss Arcadia about a potential natural disaster. Then, me and Max are gonna work something out with the church dudes, and maybe I can even convince my mom to use the diner. Who else can help?"

Rachel's mind drew a blank. She knew everyone at the academy, but didn't know who she trusted.

"I know a few who might help." They both looked curiously at Max.

"Warren. Daniel. Samuel."

"Hmm. I like it. A geek squad. Will they really believe us?"

"I think so." Rachel agreed with Max. They were amongst the best non-assholes of Blackwell.

"Warren definitely will. He's into that kind of stuff." Chloe scoffed.

"It's also because he's helplessly devoted to you." Chloe seriously smirked as she said it, thinking back on a time when a pathetic psycho also was "devoted" to her. She thought he might have abducted her if he had the chance...thankfully, he got expelled and had to move to back home. Rachel must've knew what she was thinking, because she said abruptly;

"Be careful Max. Some guys are really nice to you, until they expect something in return. Then, they turn into something else." She took Chloe's hand with understanding. Max was missing something.

"What?"

"Max, there was this guy, Eliot, who-"

"Was he your first boy toy?" Max tried to lighten the mood, but quickly realised that this was not the time.

"He stalked me." Chloe stared at her hands.

"He was a friend. We went to concerts together. Hang out. Bitch about school. Until..."

"Until she met me."


	18. Always

"I'll tell you the whole story later, Max, but this guy...was crazy pants. He would write super intense poems, and even follow me around...at one point I secretly called 911 on him since I felt like he was gonna hurt me...and that was only the beginning." Chloe felt small thinking back on it.

"He sent threatening texts, started to show up at her house, and no one was the wiser, since Eliot was, 'a pretty good student'." Rachel had continued for her. She knew Chloe hated to go into details.

"Finally, we had enough evidence for a restraining order, and that got him kicked out of Blackwell, since thankfully, Wells had a strict sexual harassment policy."

"Well at least he did something good." Chloe retorted.

"I'm glad you guys are worried, but Warren's not like that. He basically just confessed his brains out and wished me the best with..." Max trailed off, not wanting to mention how he was jealous of Chloe. The room was silent as they finished chewing.

"I'm gonna call Warren. He might have an idea. We can trust him." Though Chloe and Rachel looked sceptical, they let it go.

"Do it. We need all the help we can get." Max left to talk outside, and Chloe and Rachel were left alone again. Chloe was up to her usual tomfoolery, trying to graffiti whatever that was around and touch everything. It remained relatively the same over the year. The house was pristine as always. Chloe snooped some files that were lying around.

"Hey." Chloe looked up from the vanilla folder she was reading at Rachel.

"Yeah?"

"Come here."

Chloe slowly sauntered over, wondering what Rachel had to say.

"Can we sit in the couch?"

"Sure."

She lifted Rachel to the living room, and sat herself next to her.

"You know, you really don't know how wonderful you are, Chloe."

Chloe suddenly got very awkward. She was terrible at accepting praise.

"Stop..." she waved it off.

"No. Really. Even after all this time, you're the one who's always been there for me. The only person I could truly trust. You saved my life in more ways than you could know."

"I can think of a few examples." Rachel smiled. She swivelled to lie her head on Chloe's lap.

"You know, I think I might have ended up like my mom. Like Sera, if it wasn't for you. While I had always felt so alone, like something was missing. That is, until I met you. Then everything seemed like it would be okay...because I met someone who just  _got_  me. As much as I would've wanted to know my birth mom, I knew I was loved. By my dad. My mom. Then you. It took me a while to realise, but it was enough." Chloe could only look at Rachel. These were things that Rachel had said before, but fragmented and spread apart. Never all at once like this. Her mind could only observe how much flannel Rachel wore.

"But you know how I get. I did the most stupid thing, even more stupid than hitting Damon Merrick with a huge wooden plank."

"You were defending me."

"I got hooked on the very thing that drove Sera away from me." She looked so disappointed in herself.

"It destroyed me. I was so dumb." She started to cry. She curled up into a ball on the sofa, on top of Chloe.

"It almost took my life, got me kidnapped, and I pushed away the one person that has never hurt me."

"Rachel..."

"I'm almost grateful that I was in a coma. The withdrawal would've been too much. I honestly don't know if I could have done it. Then, I had to ask, why? Why is this amazing, gorgeous human being willing to follow around an explosive idiot like me?"

"You know why." Rachel stopped crying for a second to look at Chloe. She was staring back with such a fierceness- Rachel was stunned.

"Rachel. I love you. Since day one. And if you didn't know that, then you're not as smart as everyone thinks you are."

"I know." She sniffed.

"We were never...official. But this thing we have? It means I would die for you, Rachel. Don't you get it? I promised myself I would make you happy, to protect you and do whatever that took. Even if it put my life in danger. Even if it meant that..." Chloe let out a big sigh.

"Even if it meant that you didn't want to be with me."

"Why?"

"Because...you make me happy. It's inexplicable. You saved my life by existing. By showing me..." Chloe beamed.

"...that I have someone to live for." Rachel was speechless. She knew it, all along. It was obvious. But she had never heard Chloe say it so clearly and simply. She showed it with everything she did. From fixing that car, doing shady things for money, just so they could escape. As much as she looked the opposite, Chloe Price was a true romantic.

"I'd follow you anywhere, Rachel... _The corners of the world our mere prologue_."

At this, Rachel got up and kissed Chloe. It was one of those slow, wet kisses that was emotionally charged. Rachel held her face, kissed her nose. Her eyes. Her ears. Light touches that buzzed underneath her skin. The ones that Chloe had missed so much. The ones she would give Rachel on a bad day, when they were more "together". Chloe held her tightly, delighted to smell the perfume she always wore. To feel the familiar tickle of the feather earring. She couldn't help but feel her choice for blue hair was a subconscious decision. They embraced. After a while, Rachel shyly said:

"I would die for you too, you know." Chloe broke from her grasp to look at her. She tucked Rachel's hair behind her ears.

"Would you now?"

"I'd do a lot of things to you." Chloe rolled her eyes.

"So, not that you have to answer...you and Max...I don't want to feel like you have to choose...but I hate the idea of sharing you. But I like Max. And I know she matters a lot to you."

"No. You're not wrong. We...her...it's really fucking complicated."

Chloe started pulled her beanie down to cover her eyes. Then, she looked at Rachel straight in the eye.

"Is that why you're saying all this?"

"Well...I would've said it anyways. I'll have you know, I'm particularly sentimental these days. The whole " _almost dying_ " thing does that to a person. Plus, I couldn't stand the idea of you not knowing."

"Not knowing what?"

 _"That I have always loved you too._ "


	19. Stasis

Max had no problem telling Warren about her powers. She knew from previous rewinds that he would've believed anything he told her. She didn't know if it had something to do with wishful thinking, but it definitely was related to his loyalty. No matter what Rachel or Chloe might have said, her gut feelings told her that this guy was good, and she needed to believe that they existed in Arcadia Bay. He promised her that he would try to convince his friends, but that he would probably need some proof first.

"Tell them it's going to start snowing on Monday night."

He was astounded at the random prediction, given that Oregon was not exactly known for snowing during October, but the confidence in Max's voice was enough. He didn't dare question her.

"You're the boss, Max."

She went on explaining to him the plans that she had and that she would keep in touch with him through the process. If he wanted, he could meet them at Chloe's house at some point to walk him through it, but even as she gave him the invite, she knew that she probably should've asked Chloe first. Max couldn't know how Chloe might react him being there. But, she figured, if she was allowed to bring Rachel, Max could bring Warren. At least he was able to do something.

_You're not being fair, Max. Stop it._

Her conscience was right- it wasn't fair to say that Rachel was unable to help them, given that she was in such poor condition for obvious reasons. But the pulsing envy that hid her sadness was getting the best of her. The most selfish part of her didn't want Chloe to love Rachel Amber. Yet deep down in Max's heart, she was just happy to see her punk pirate alive.

_You're going in circles Max. Focus._

_The priests were in place. Chloe was in charge of the diner. Rachel was gonna get in touch with Juliet. David was doing whatever he does best. What should I do now?_

Max decided to take a break from the flurry of worries in her brain to take a picture. She hadn't snapped one in a few hours, and it was getting to her. The Ambers had a quaint lawn, precisely cut and maintained. It reminded her of a real estate brochure. Chloe's pick up truck seemed so out of place, parked in the front. The contrast was perfect. She took out her camera.

* * *

"You have no idea what it's been like without you."

"Really? I think I've got a pretty good idea."

Chloe let out a sigh.

" _OKAY_. I'm being a dick. But honestly, I stuck your face on every surface I could find and, might I add,  _voluntarily_  went to meet your parents about finding you." Rachel said nothing.

"You have no clue what it did to your folks…I think your mom cried every night for 2 weeks straight, and your dad started day drinking sherry…I think he said at one point that the fact I wasn't with you made him especially concerned. Even he knew you wouldn't go anywhere without me, or at least, telling me something. Still, I guess he wanted to blame me for what was happening. Said I was a bad influence from the very beginning. All that bullshit. I knew it was only because he was dreading whatever actually happened. But we never said much during those meetings. It was mostly just organisational crap. I know a lot about missing persons policies now-"

"I don't think I want to hear this. Sorry Chloe…but it's just…too soon."

"Sorry." Rachel took her hand. She stroked her fingers gently, feeling how tough and coarse they had become.

"Whoa. What happened to your fingers?"

"Oh, Max was teaching me guitar earlier."

"I see." They were quiet for a moment.

"During the first few weeks, I'd even buy your favourite snacks, hoping that you'd come back at some point. That you'd come home, hungry and tired. Tell us not to ask you any questions. And I would throw Mini M&Ms in your mouth, like we always did at the junkyard." Rachel petted her beanie.

"You're the cutest."

"Shut-up." She shoved her. Rachel was all bone.

"Ow…"

" _Shit!_  Sorry sorry sorry!" Rachel was rubbing the part of her arm that Chloe had playfully punched.

"Well, I could use some of those snacks right about now." Rachel was upset that she looked so gaunt, unable to fit her clothes as well as she used to. Everything in her closet no longer made her feel confident. Just scrawny and weak.

"I'll go get it. Hold on." Chloe let go of Rachel's hand and ran upstairs. Not long after, Max had come back inside.

"Warren is on our side!" She looked around the house.

"Where's Chloe?"

"She's just getting something for me."

"Oh. Cool." Max got on the recliner and pulled the lever, unable to think of a good topic of conversation with Rachel. To think that she had worn her flannel in an alternate future…Max was almost embarrassed about sporting her outfit without asking. And now, she was in front of her, wearing a different coloured plaid pattern, with ripped jeans and that iconic blue feather earring. She and Chloe definitely had matching styles. Her insecurities got the best of her.

"Rachel, thanks for being there for Chloe. During all the years I was being a shit friend, I mean." Rachel looked sympathetic. She had heard little about Max, except that it destroyed Chloe to be abandoned by her best and only friend then.

"Don't thank me too hard. I bet Chloe wouldn't even had noticed me if you were still around." It was a friendly jab. Max could only pretend to smile, since it was true- Chloe and Rachel probably wouldn't have met if Max had stayed. Then they wouldn't all be caught in this mess.

"Haha, I guess you're right. But really though…I fucked up. I didn't know what to say. How to respond. I didn't want her to feel bad by saying that Seattle was awesome, but I didn't want to lie either. So I just said nothing. And that nothing lasted for 5 years. Before I knew it, I was back at Blackwell and too afraid to contact her."

"That  _is_ pretty shitty." Rachel didn't really know what else to say. Max wanted to throw a chair at the wall. As if she didn't know that already.

"But what's important is that you came back. And you saved her. What's 5 years absence to a lifetime without Chloe Price? Plus, my parents should be thanking you for finding me…but they can never know what actually happened, so hopefully our gratitude will suffice."

"Thanks Rachel." More than ever, she could envision the last 3 years Rachel and Chloe had together. Breaking the rules, bumping around in mosh pits at concerts. Pissing off the DA and dying hair. Max had missed out on so much. She couldn't help but notice Rachel's tattoos, and had a hunch that they got them together.

"What's the star mean?" Rachel's simple star tattoo on her wrist was slightly faded, but it's thick black lines made the rest of her skin seem paler.

"It was for my mom." Rachel changed the subject.

"You should see the dragon one I have on my ankle." She rolled up her sweatpants. Chloe came rumbling down the stairs. She held a big brown paper bag. She felt like anarchist Santa.

"I helped her pick that design, you know. Here." She sprawled out the contents on the bag one by one.

"Here's a new Tamagotchi, since I figured yours probably died already, some star-shaped gummies, black liquorice, cinnamon gum, some honey-mustard pretzels…"

And lastly, she pulled out another flannel.

"I found this at a thrift shop a 3 months ago…I figured, you almost have them in every colour, and you were missing orange."

"Fuck yes! I've been looking for one like this forever!" She kissed Chloe on the cheek. Chloe noticed how Max recoiled slightly. It sucked to see Max like that. It really did.


	20. No Match For Cute Girls

_I think I'm going to think the best of David. Even though he's a mega tool and I fucking hate him. But for the sake of this story, I think I'm going to portray him as an idiot step-father who's trying his best._

* * *

After putting Rachel back in bed, Max had to watch Chloe fruitlessly spar with Rachel about taking her with them.

"Please! Let me come!"

"Rachel…Let yourself rest for another day. We're going through some pretty tedious shit."

"Come on! I can almost walk now." She attempted to get out of bed. She almost fell off the mattress before Max intuitively grabbed the crutches nearby to hand to her.

"Thanks Max." Rachel, resembling a baby doe walking for the first time, mustered all her strength to get on her feet. It pained Chloe to see her struggle. The dead weight of her legs was better than that morning, but it was clear that they were still in pretty bad shape. Rachel managed to make a few steps towards the door before falling into Max, who immediately propped her up against Chloe.

"Rachel…please. Don't over do it."

"Can I please…just-" There was a sense of urgency and desperation in her voice.

"Don't leave me here." A blanket of woe covered the air.

"Let her come." Max interjected calmly. Chloe stared at her.

"She can rest on your bed. I'll sleep on the beanbag."

"Don't be ridiculous Max-" She looked long and hard at Max, then Rachel.

"I'll sleep on the beanbag." Chloe said. She knew she didn't stand a chance with these two giving her the puppy-dog eyes.

Rachel fist pumped and winked at Max. Chloe rolled her eyes.

"Okay, superstar. Hurry up, before I change my mind."

As Rachel squealed, Chloe hoisted her into her arms again.

"You should be grateful that I was working out this summer."

"Are you calling me fat?"

They bickered on the way downstairs, and Max followed not too far behind. This feeling that she had…it was happiness. She had never had many friends, and now she found herself with a new one. It was unfortunate that it had to be Chloe's … person, but she loved their dynamic. It was almost cute to watch. The fact that Rachel made sure to include her was such a warm gesture. With another kindred spirit, she felt more confident in their abilities as a trio to pull off what seemed impossible. It didn't seem like a matter of having Chloe  _choose_. Maybe it was more about working out how the three of them could get along. Especially knowing so much about Rachel, without either of them having a clue of just how knowledgable she was, she was also glad that she saved another life.

_It's working. I think this might actually work._

As much as Max loved Chloe and knew that she had promised to never leave her, her main goal was to save everyone. And now she had more allies to help. No longer having to bear the brunt of it with just Chloe, who, despite being the best friend she could hope for, could be reckless and insensitive at times. With this bizarre super power, funnily enough, she found herself less of an outcast than ever before. She belonged to something. The Three Musketeer Misfits Girls Who Make Questionable Decisions. She smiled to herself behind the banter.

* * *

On the car ride back to Chloe's, she found herself drafting a text to Kate, trying to think about what she could write back.

_Kate. I have something to tell you. The whole town is gonna be gone-zo if we don't do something about it. That's why we were being such jerks to those pastors. Shall we get tea at some point and I can explain in more detail about my inexplicable supernatural powers?_

No, that wouldn't work.

_It wasn't blackmail Kate. You know me. I would never…but I had to. Please let me explain… :(_

She hit send without looking. A few minutes later, she got a reply.

_KATE: Max Caulfield, this better be good. It was so unlike you…Sorry for reacting so aggressively. I was thinking about it afterwards and I thought that you must have had a reason. After all, you're always looking out for me…_

_ME: I promise Kate. I'll tell you really soon. Whenever you're free. I can meet you later today, if you can?_

_KATE: I've got Youth Group until 4pm. We can meet after?_

_ME: Sure thing. Just let me know._

"You good, Max?"

"Yeah. I just have to meet Kate later."

"Yikes. Do you need a ride?"

"Yes please."

"No prob, Mad Max."

When they got there, they saw that David and Joyce's car were gone. Chloe whipped out her phone.

"Mom texted. They're out on a date." Chloe made retching noises, pointing to her mouth.

"The fucking stepdouche…" Rachel shook her head with disapproval.

"Joyce could do so much better."

"Hey, at least he's helping, isn't he?" Max was destined to be the optimistic one in this group.

When they got to Chloe's room, they all gasped in shock. The room, which  _was_  littered with various scraps and whatnot, dirty clothes, cigarette ashes, open CD cases, was suddenly unnervingly clean. All papers and books were straightened and lined up. The bulletin board of cardboard now stood against the wall and had a new series of extremely detailed calculations and documents that were pinned on it. The three of them couldn't make any sense of all of it, except for the obvious deductions that he spelt out for them.

"Holy shit. He better not have went through my shit."

They took a closer look:

_SAFE SPACES:_

_-CHURCH - 128 West Drive_

_-BUNKER - 49.804133, -129.554201_

_-BLACKWELL UNDERGROUND TUNNELS_

_-KENNY'S BASEMENT_

_-LIGHTHOUSE (?) - ask the kids_

_RISKS:_

_-Areas with high concentration of people: BLACKWELL, SUPERMARKETS, OFFICE BUILDINGS ON CITRUS ROAD,…_

_-ARCADIA BAY HOSPITAL HAS EMERGENCY GENERATORS AND SEVERAL FIRST AID KITS._

_NOTES:_

_-Guys down at the station have been contacted. Await for further instruction._

_-The structural foundation of most of the buildings in AB use a urban design that is ill-suited for natural disasters of a major scale…_

Several news clippings of past catastrophes that took place Arcadia Bay were also scattered around the board.

"Look! He found a few more places that people could go. I guess it finally pays to live with the jerk-off security guard at Blackwell." Max wondered who Kenny was.

Chloe ran to look inside her closet. She was relieved.

"Thank god. He just threw everything in the closet. God, he's so fucking anal. I fucking hate it when people touch my shit…Ugh."

As much as Max hated to compliment the guy,  _he did a really good job. Did he vacuum too? Wowsers, he really gets into his investigation._  Even the smell of smoke had faded, and she found that it was easier to think with less clutter around. But she would never admit that to Chloe. Max saw that Rachel was thinking something similar. They helped Rachel limp to the bed, where she made a nest for herself. Rachel was organised enough that she had kept a copy of Juliet's phone number in her planner, and had brought her own arsenal of contacts into play. Rachel started furiously texting, putting all the angst that came from not being able to use her legs into punching keys on the ancient brick that Chloe brought her earlier. Chloe rolled up a joint, and she and Rachel got high while Max contemplated trying pot for the first time. While they should've gotten started on the investigation, the three of them were giggling on Chloe's bed- a moment that reminded them all how they were still silly teenagers who would do dumb shit like smoke weed instead of attending to pressing matters. The snacks that Chloe had brought were slowly being demolished as the munchies kicked in, and Rachel lazily replied to the various "bing!"s that her phone was making in response to her earlier enquiries. Chloe was watching the ceiling, listening to the blasting music from her stereo.

_"In your head, in your head. Zombie, Zombie, Zombie~"_

She headbanged along with Rachel, while Max felt loose enough to jump on the bed and play an air guitar. Chloe held her lighter up during her performance, and Rachel snuggled up to her. After the song ended, Max lied down on the other side of Chloe as well. She was sandwiched in by these two girls, everyone baked and buzzing. The anxiety that would've been there had otherwise been quelled by the effects of good ol' Mary Jane, and she had felt completely safe for the first time in the while, surrounded by her favourite people in the world. The feeling of bliss, however, didn't last too long.


	21. What the Hell?

Chloe was standing on the ledge in front of the lighthouse, the skies suddenly consumed by darkness and wind. There she was, witnessing the chaotic storm slowly rip apart, piece by piece, the cityscape of what was the picturesque Arcadia Bay that mirrored the image hanging on Hernandez hallway. Horrified, she found herself unable to move, only able to move her face. She saw she was strapped to a high tech wheelchair. She soon realised she wasn't alone. On the bench behind her, where she had spent so many afternoons watching the sunset with Rachel- and now Max, a familiar and sad sight. Her father, William, who was calmly and patiently observing how Chloe was struggling to move.

"Dad? Wha- help me! Please!" She was grunting; anxious sweat creeped into her forehead. It was no use. She couldn't feel any part of her body neck down, let alone get it to move.

"I'm so sorry Chloe."

The sound of Max's voice should have been comforting, had it not been for the overarching tone of remorse it had. The storm was getting larger, and the rain was pelting Chloe's face like tiny water darts. Max stood behind William, trying to avoid the sight of Chloe by staring at the sight of the wreckage.

"What the fuck is going on?"

"I don't know. This isn't the right-! Th-this never happened. William died! I made sure of it-"

"What?" But before the exclamation could leave Chloe, she heard a gasp not too far away. A beautiful girl wearing flannel emerged from the shadows.

"Chloe! Oh my god, what is this?" Rachel came running up from out of nowhere, rushing to her side. Rachel looked as if she had been playing in the dirt, head to toe covered in mud.

"Rachel..why are you...you can walk?" She looked at her own two legs and seemed surprised.

"Whoa, I guess I can now. Yuck..." She saw how filthy she was.

"Wait, why the fuck are we here?" She caught a sight of William, who at this point still said nothing. All she could do was cover her mouth and point.

"Is..is that your dad?" She barely whispered. At this, William shot a loving look at Chloe, then at Rachel, then at Max. He turned around and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Take care of them." He gave her a knowing nod.

"It had to be this way. No one's fault. I love you." He said it to no one in particular, peering in the direction of the Two Whale's diner fervently. He closed his eyes and exhaled. Then, without warning, he casually walked off the edge of the cliff, towards the full spectacle of the storm's destruction. A raven appeared in the distance, a sinister caw blending into the sound of thunder.

"Dad!" Chloe screamed as she watched her father disappear into the misty air below.

—

She woke up screaming, face wet with tears. Chloe found Max and Rachel wrapped around her like protective shields. Both of them were sniffling too.

They had dozed off, apparently. But this was no ordinary "Dad" dream.

"Were you guys...?"

"Mhmm." A buzzing sob from Max replied.

"I have no idea what just happened. Did we just-"

"Appear in the same dream? Yeah?" Max refused to emerge from the pillow that was covering her face.

"Holy shit." Chloe was rubbing her temples, trying to remember exactly how this reunion with her father went.

"I know." Max knew it was more than a dream. It was a visit from an alternate timeline. Another reminder of what would go down if she didn't get it right. A recall to the most fucked up timeline she had gotten herself into. She thought she would never have to see the sight of Chloe like that again. Helpless and confined. No blue hair. No tattoos.

The three of them laid there quietly for a few minutes, each trying to process.

"Was...was I dead?" Rachel spoke first. She sounded so afraid. Felt so childish, thinking of all the times she narrowly escaped death. In this...whatever it was, she had felt being mounded in the ground. She had felt her own mortality leave her body, but then she had suddenly appeared at the lighthouse, only to see Chloe in one of those Stephen Hawking's style contraptions.

"Max. Please. What do you know?" Chloe had always had dreams about William- always ending with him dying of having some morbid undertone. She thought it was her emo brain's way of dealing with his absence. But he had spoken to Max. Touched her. He barely acknowledged Chloe. That had never been the case. And she had never ever been unable to move.

"Chloe, I never wanted you to know. But, in one rewind...I went back to the day William died. I thought I could make your future better...I thought I could prevent all of this by giving you a happier childhood. Make it last a bit longer, but..."

Max had desperately hoped that this day would never come, so of course, it came.

"You got in an accident instead. You were paralysed. You lost all feeling neck down. You asked me to kill you. The bills...your parents couldn't afford it. You wanted to spare them...you were going to die anyways. And Rachel was already..." Max barely could understand what she was saying, bawling her eyes out into the pillow between sentences. But the look at Chloe and Rachel's shocked faces showed that they understood. More than that, they seemed to comprehend the meaning of it all. Chloe pet Max's head.

"Hey, Mad Max. There, there.." she pulled Max into a hug, where she started calming down, resting on Chloe's chest. Chloe stroked her head, combing her hair through her fingers, each nail painted with a faded maroon. She was holding on to her body securely, resting her lips on her forehead. Rachel put her hand on Max's shoulder.

"You're the real thing. You really did go back in time."

"That's what I have been saying!" Chloe comically reiterated. Max softly chuckled.

"It took me so many tries...I think this is the only time I've managed to save Rachel." All the cards were down now. This dream surely was a sign. The three of them were bonded together by it. Before she even said, Rachel knew it to be true.

"Hey. None of that matters now. You're good. You're my hero. Our hero." Chloe couldn't have imagined this, but she knew herself well enough to know- if she had been stuck in that body, she probably would've asked someone to just end it. She had always felt so damn guilty about how poor her family was...but she had prided herself by pulling her own weight and not having expensive tastes. Just the few drug related vices. But to have her dad back..god, what she would've given to have him back...but then Rachel also would've disappeared off the face of the earth, and it was unbearable to think that as well. She recalled a passage she once read about karmic and natural imbalances equaling themselves out. Why is it always a sacrifice?

"My dad...he was talking about this, wasn't he? He had to die...for me to have a fighting chance. A chance at life?" At this, Chloe broke into her own silent tears, trying to hide it by pulling her beanie down onto her eyes. Rachel hugged her from behind, kissing her cheek, giving her a hug that cocooned Max as well.

After all the tears subsided, there was a calm. The expelled reaction made analysing the dream so much easier.

"So, that's what we are dealing with?" Chloe said this more like a statement than question. The storm was replaying over and over in her brain like a nightmarish Vine.

"Yep."

"At least now me and Chloe have a better idea of what we are up against."

—

This new motivation spurred the three to speed into action. Chloe took off to the printers after designing a jazzy leaflet warning people about the storm. She would have to make a second run later on that week. Her postering skills would come in handy, armed with glue paste, driving around like a informational blizzard. Max left to have her meeting with Kate, and Rachel was left on the bed, having a text battle with Juliet on why she should help her spread unverifiable news.

After being ignored for a few minutes, Juliet said she would only include it in passing during one of her Miss Arcadia replies.

"I have a question about whether the weather is good for falling in love, and this'll be a laugh."

"Fine. It's a start. Watch out for tomorrow night. You'll see."

All she got back was a text that had two equal signs. Frustrated, she got Chloe's computer to search up who this "Kenny" was. Rachel wasn't a exemplary student for nothing. She knew research, and started digging in the vast realm of the internet for answers.

The listings for things or people named "Kenny" in Arcadia Bay was fortunately short. This was probably one of the few times when living in a small town had its perks.

There was a "Kenny Pemberton" who owned a bed and breakfast on the edge of town, and another "Kenneth Fleming", a real estate agent who managed most of the property in the city. She knew the name- Fleming was the same guy who sold the Ambers their house. Her father was good friends with him, and he often came to their house to share a nightcap with her dad. Putting her stalking skills into use (which she hadn't had to use since she became friends with Chloe), she didn't think it was Kenneth. Anyone who was friendly with the DA didn't seem trustworthy.

Don't let your own biases get the best of you.

After a while of Facebook raiding, even Twitter and LinkedIn scanning, Rachel uncovered that Kenny P. had been a war veteran too.

"Bingo." She texted Chloe and Max. Feeling triumphant, she rested her eyes. They were fried from all the digital scrutiny. She then got up to have a staring contest with the wheelchair and the crutches.

_Okay, Amber. You're gonna fucking walk._

She looked at her legs, which still get weak, but had more sensation than before. The dream had kickstarted something in them.

She quoted one of her favourite female protagonists.

"Wiggle your big toe."

She wanted so hard to have motivational music in the back. She imagined "Eye of the Tiger" playing in her head. She drilled her eyes into her big toe, feeling what would have been vibrations if her dumb legs were working properly. She was concentrating so hard she though her brain might explode. After half an hour, her toe still didn't move. Not even a little bit. But she did manage to achieve something else.

The small part of the bedsheet she was lying on had spontaneously burst into flame.


	22. Lady Earl Is Gay

_I deeply apologise for the long delay from the last chapter. I have been going through personal things and also, LIS: BTS forums and theories had made me really upset. So much so, I couldn't even touch the game nor think too hard about the characters...It still stings real bad. But today, after watching the "Farewell" episode, I decided. Deck Nine can go fuck a duck, and I will never say goodbye to my Arcadia Babes. So here you are. Give me_ inspiration _to keep going. Enjoy. xx_

* * *

"Shit shit shit!" Rachel frantically looked around for something to put out the fire. For some reason, though the flames licked the sides of her calves, they didn't hurt. She spotted some old beer cans and thankfully, they were all half full still. She poured the contents of it into the bed.

"Fuck. Chloe is gonna kill me." Smelling like really stale and old beer, she stripped the bedsheets and threw them to the side. With the adrenaline, she hoisted herself onto the chair, trying to register how in the hell the fire had started.

_Could it be..? It had to..._

The incident three years ago was no mere coincidence. It started as an accident, but it escalated into a disaster beyond proportions…Then it all started to make sense.

There was a childhood memory that always danced in her mind…one that she was could never confirm was a daydream or not. She had been around 4 years old, and she had picked up a lighter. The next thing was just her mother, screaming, and her father trying to settle her down. Rachel herself didn't remember anything other than the fact that they found her naked. Her parents denied it ever happened, but it was such a vivid experience.

_Could it be?_

Then, Rachel did something she had promised herself she wouldn't do.

* * *

Max had told Chloe to drop her off at the tea shop that was near the church. After arguing with the copy-shop clerk about prices and sizes, she managed to snark her way into a 20% discount. Chloe was just about the leave the print shop with a huge box of flyers when she felt a flurry of buzzing coming from her back pocket. She clunked them in the back of her truck to find 15 next texts from Rachel.

_Rachel: Holy shit. Chloe._

_Rachel: Firstly, I want to apologise for spilling nasty expired beer in your bed._

_Rachel: and I want to also apologise in advance for making a big scorching hole in them_

_Rachel: (your mattress should be okay but there's a black mark)_

_Rachel: I promise I didn't break into your secret stash._

_Rachel: Come home ASAP. I need to talk to you._

After reading the first 5, Chloe slammed the car door shut and stepped on it.

* * *

Max arrived at The Wrinkly Leaf to find Kate already sitting at one of the tables. She was looking outside towards the church, deep in thought, which stood a just few buildings across the street. Max nervously approached the table.

Kate was no longer angry. Just confused and, to be frank, a little scared. What was Max doing? What was she up to with that Chloe Price? Why did they want to blackmail those poor pastors? She looked at Max with a tired, but friendly expression. It relaxed the awkward body language the Max had adopted once she sat down.

"Hi Max."

"Uh, hi Kate. How as Youth Group?"

"Fine." A server walked over to give them some menus and the whole spiel about their couples specials.

"Now I know you two are girls, but y'all could be saving a good buck ordering together" the grandmotherly waitress lovingly suggested. Max had to laugh on the inside.

"We could be a couple, for all you know, thank you very much. God doesn't judge!" Kate retorted back, much to Max's surprise.

"I'll have a chamomile tea, and Max will get Lady Earl Grey with some milk. We get a free cake with the special right? Thank you." She closed her menu and dismissed the awestruck server, whose awestruck face could only walk away, dazed that the lovely Christian girl who always came to her cafe had told her off about queerness. Max was quite speechless as well.

"What? Not all Christians believe in that homophobic nonsense."

"Really?" Max had thought about coming out to Kate for the longest time, but was so worried about what would happen. Well, she hadn't really even known for that long, but Kate was someone she saw so often, and she always felt guilty for not being completely honest with her. All those articles and stories about Christian conversion camps had her convinced that anyone who was a believer of God was also a hater of the gays.

"Obviously. God creates you just the way He wills it. Gay, straight, whatever. So long as you are true to yourself and to Him, it shouldn't matter." Then she started to glare at Max.

"You of all people shouldn't be picking on those pastors."

"I-" She was interrupted when the server brought their teas, still trying to maintain an air of cheerfulness. Max stirred the milk and sugar into her cup, unwilling to meet Kate's accusatory gaze.

"Thanks for remembering my signature order." Kate was still waiting for the reply to the actual question.

"Listen Kate. There are going to be somethings that will be very hard for you to believe. And it's gonna take a lot of trust and faith in me. Can you just let me say all there is to say, and then you can ask your questions?" Kate seemed to be expecting a complicated answer…but Max never asked Kate to "put faith in her" like this. It must've been serious.

"Okay Max. You have until the end of this pot."

* * *

Chloe flew up the stairs and burst open the room to her door. All she wanted was to find Rachel in one piece. And that she did.

She found Rachel Amber terribly struggling to use her crutches to move around the room.

_But she was standing. How?_

Chloe's stomach leap for joy, only to feel it turn to knots when she saw the bed. It looked like someone had blown something up on her bed, then peed on it to put out the fire. It didn't help that her bed was covered with dirty clothes and was covered with sheets she hadn't changed in 2 months.

"Hey! Look! Look what I can do!" Rachel attempted to clumsily to move towards Chloe. Chloe princess lifted her into the wheelchair and put both of her hands on Rachel's shoulders.

"What the fuck happened?"

"So there I was, minding my own business, trying to find a way to wiggle my big toe, when all a sudden, your bedsheets just spontaneously combust. Ms. Price, looks like you've got some serious problems in bed." Chloe would've laughed, but was too distracted.

"Fuck off, Rach. Come on. Did you blaze one up and a roach fell on the bed? It's fine if you did. Only you know where my secret stash is."

"Oh please, your secret stash is a tin container under the bed. I told you you should find a better place for it."

"So I should hide my weed better? I think that yo-"

They had a silly quarrel, as all people who are very close do, before Chloe remembered why they were having this conversation in the first place.

"LOOK. What do you mean, fire? Where did it come from?" Rachel then grew rather solemn.

"Do you remember that night? The night was met officially. We skipped school. The park?"

"How could I possibly ever forget." To meet and share an experience like that with Rachel…it was the day she felt able to love another person for the first time since her dad died. And though at the time she didn't know it, she knew that she had fallen for Rachel that very same day.

"I ripped up that photo. And-"

"You took my lighter. You set it ablaze. Then the whole town was on fire. What about it? Rachel, I thought we promised each other to never talk about it again. What's the deal?"

"I think I have powers."

* * *

By the time that Max had gotten to the part about stopping Kate from getting date raped- (she refrained from mentioning a future with a suicidal Kate, for obvious reasons)- and explained how she and Chloe found Rachel in the Dark Room and that the three of them were preparing the city to evacuate on the account of a supernatural storm Max had envisioned, Kate excused herself to go to the toilet.

"Actually, I need to go too." After their copious amounts of tea drinking, the much needed wee break broke the tension. Max could hear Kate pee into her stall and had to stop herself from giggling at the ridiculousness of it all. She heard Kate laugh. Then Max broke into laughter. And before they knew it, the both of them were thunderously roaring in the toilets of The Wrinkly Leaf, trousers down at their knees.

While they were washing their hands, Max saw that Kate was crying. Max's stomach hurt. Thankfully, they were already in the bathroom when it happened. When they sat back down at the table, everything seemed more hopeful.

"Okay. So. Let me get this straight. You can kinda sometimes control time…You helped find the missing Rachel Amber, who was kidnapped by our photography teacher…and now you and that blue haired girl are going to try and convince everyone to leave town or find shelter since a freakish storm is coming and it'll destroy everything? And you needed to blackmail the church people so you could use their basement as a protective location to direct people? Before the storm?"

Though hesitant to confirm such a story, Max said matter-of-factly, "Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying."

"You know Max. I have every reason to not believe you," Kate said as she started drinking the last of her tea.

"But I do."

"What? Are you cereal?"

"Yep. I can feel that you're not lying…Plus, we may be at an arts academy, but you're definitely not someone to create such a complicated lie, let alone able to whip up such a detailed story."

Max felt a giant weight leave her chest.

"But!" Then, the weight came back.

"How could you make those pastors cry like they did? That was awful. I really thought you wouldn't do such a thing…Even if it was for whatever you're up to!"

"Chloe said it was the only way! No one would believe us! Plus, I didn't have time to really think about it."

"But can't you control time?"

"Er. Yes, but only sometimes and it's getting more random by the hours."

Kate took her half of the cake and was quiet. She seemed to be having a conversation with herself.

"Lucky for you, Max Caulfield, you are one of my closest friends at Blackwell. And I do not befriend unkind and untrustworthy people. And with the judgement of my most reliable decision making tool, I want to help."

"What's the tool you're using?"

Kate pulled her sleeve up to reveal a jelly bracelet that had the letters "WWJD" carved on it.

"I mean, think about how Jesus must've sounded to his disciples at first."

"Hm. Good point."

"But Max, if anything starts to get really weird…I'm going to tell Principal Blackwell."

"Of course. I understand." Max saw that Kate had one more condition.

"What?"

"Can you call the pastors and apologise? They were really upset."

* * *

"Are you fucking serious?"

"I think so. There's no way that anything else could've made fire appear."

"I do have several lighters in here…"

"I think I would remember the part where I took a lighter and used it on your bed."

"Show me. Do it again."

"I can't just 'do it again'."

"Why not?"

"Because I tried and it didn't work."

"How did it happen the first time?"

"Well, I was concentrating really hard on moving my toe."

"Try that then."

Rachel stared at her toe again. Nothing happened.

"Are you fucking with me Rachel? Oh my god, you're fucking with me aren't you? So not cool!"

"It happened! I swear. Why would I make this up?"

"I don't know, maybe being wheelchair-bound is really getting to your head?"

" _FUCK OFF_." A huge bang sounded and suddenly Chloe found the rug she stood near was singed and smoking.

"Holy. Shit."

"I know."

"Holy shit holy shit holy shit. Mother Flipping Jesus banana crackers." Chloe needed a moment to whip out a cigarette.

"Chloe."

"Oh, sorry, you want one too?" She took out another one and handed the lit one to Rachel. Rachel rolled her eyes, but smiled and took a long drag on it.

"I can't believe it."

"I know."

"No, I mean, I can't believe it!"

"What? You don't believe me?"

" _No,_  I mean, am I the  _ONLY ONE_  without cool superpowers? What the fuck, God?" Chloe Price flipped a bird towards the sky in great annoyance. Rachel chortled delightfully.

"I mean, you can drive." Rachel reached for her hands.

"And you're pretty good at being adored by  _dazzlingly_ gorgeous ladies."

* * *

Piggybacking on Kate's bike, Max lead the way back to Chloe's. She would have gotten all the flyers by now, and they needed all hands on deck to get them pasted all over the town. They arrived at the Price household drenched in sweat.

"Well, at least we worked off the cake." Max said, thinking to herself about how out of shape she was. She saw Chloe's truck parked jaggedly across the parkway. It wasn't a good sign. By the time they got upstairs, Max entered to room only to choke on the smoke in the air. But it wasn't just cigarette smoke. Something was burning.

"Oh gosh." Kate was overwhelmed by the sight of Chloe's room. Kate was not a fan of the "organised mess", and abhoured the smell of burnt tobacco.

"No offence to any of you, but I'm going to wait outside until the smell clears...or at least when the air is safe to breathe." She ran back downstairs.

"Hey Max. Guess what? Rachel has firepower."

"What do you mean?"

"I guess it means...I can make stuff burn."

Max blinked for a few seconds, trying not to breathe through her nose.

"Oh, and Chloe. I called Sera."


	23. TBA

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...

 

Dear readers,

 

I have hit a wall in my motivation to write this since the Life Is Strange franchise is taking such a turn. Until I find it in me to continue, I shall be stopping the fic here. Thanks for reading so far and for the support. Perhaps I will continue it one day. 

 

Thanks,

swells55


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